1975 in Prophecy!

1975 in Prophecy! is a digest-sized booklet warning of a then-upcoming nuclear war and subsequent enslavement of mankind, leading to the return of Jesus Christ as a benign dictator. It was written by Herbert W. Armstrong and illustrated by Basil Wolverton of Mad magazine fame, and published in 1956 by the Worldwide Church of God (WCG).

Summary

The events described were to begin shortly after February 1972, and climax during 1975. Armstrong stated that his church was operating on two 19-year cycles. The second cycle began after January 7, 1953, when The World Tomorrow was first broadcast over Radio Luxembourg, meaning that the second cycle would end around the beginning of February 1972.^[1]

Story outline

This was not intended as a work of fiction, but as a warning to the reader of what was scheduled to happen. The timeline was uncertain and, although the title of the booklet was specific, 1975 was not mentioned in the text in relation to Biblical prophecy. All specific dates within the booklet were in relation to events or outcomes not specified by the Bible. The biblical prophecies are ambiguous as to their timing.^[2]

... The prophecy does Not reveal exactly which ten nations will be included—but this resurrected Roman Empire will bind together some 250 to 300 millions of peoples! That is more manpower than Russia, or the United States has. The strong indication of these prophecies, then, is that some of the Balkan nations are going to tear away from behind the iron Curtain ... When this United States of Europe emerges ...

The booklet was written in 1956 during the Cold War years. It stated that the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and other English speaking ("Israelite") nations, contrary to popular cultural belief, would neither be attacked nor destroyed by the Soviet Union, but that a nuclear World War III would destroy these countries. The attack would come from a German-dominated United States of Europe, led by a Nazi-style dictator, identified as "The Beast", and dominated by a religious leader, who would probably be a Roman Catholic Pope, identified as the Antichrist.

In the aftermath of the nuclear attack, one third of the populations would be dead. Another third would then die as a result of simultaneous attacks from abnormal weather patterns which would create drought, destruction, and epidemic diseases. The remaining third would then be taken into slave labor camp captivity by the United States of Europe.^[3]

Armstrong was also certain that the USSR would not attack the United States or United Kingdom, but disintegrate instead:

... some of the Balkan nations are going to tear away from behind the iron Curtain.

Literary style

The literary style of this publication is in a form of advertising script mixing capital and lower case words at whim. Armstrong had previously written in this style as an advertising copywriter in Chicago. Enhancing the text were graphic illustrations by Basil Wolverton.

Fact, fantasy, and fear

The impact that 1975 in Prophecy! had on the reading public can only be understood in the context of the Cold War years, when nuclear attack was anticipated and threatened. In 1956, this booklet was not attempting to predict the future; it was stating future events as fact.^[4]

Balancing scientific advances, wrote Armstrong, would be the disintegration of society due to increasing mental health problems, crime statistics, and divorce. Then he announced that he would reveal the end of the story first.^[5]

... we are really going to have world peace! We are going to have actual UTOPIA—far beyond the dreams of today's world-planners! It will not be a millennium of man's devising, however. It will not be a world of idleness and ease—but one of production, plenty, health and happiness.

What Armstrong promised was not a Christian evangelical rapture of spirit beings, but a rescue of human beings living in a physical world, into which Jesus would return as world dictator, for the good of humanity.

Central to his discussion of prophecy was the emergence of the United States of Europe.^[6]

While our prime objective seems to be idleness, ease and luxury, the German mind and heart and interest appears set on just one thing—hard, energetic WORK that will yet put "Deutschland Uber Alles!"—"Germany Over All!"

Armstrong stated:

... even this coming military–political leader does not yet know how many, or precisely which European nations will join in this United Nazi Fascist Europe. ... The German-dominated European combine will blast our cities and industrial centers with hydrogen bombs. ... And that surviving third will be up-rooted from their homes—transported like cattle as slaves to Europe, and probably some to South America ...

However, Armstrong was certain that if Britain joined the European Common Market, then, either before or after it became the United States of Europe, Britain would withdraw, and would eventually be attacked by ten nations in the ultimate federation of a

... resurrected Roman Empire ... bind[ing] together some 250 to 300 millions of peoples!

Distribution

1975 in Prophecy! was advertised free of charge on The World Tomorrow radio program and in the pages of the free subscription magazine The Plain Truth. It was offered in conjunction with another publication called The United States and the British Commonwealth in Prophecy, which revealed that the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and certain sections of Western Europe were all part of the so-called Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.

When this booklet first appeared, it had the effect of both encouraging or frightening enough people to send money to the Radio Church of God that the church grew financially out of proportion to other churches with the same membership base.

External links

• Original version of 1975 in Prophecy!
• Online version, with illustrations
• 1975. Video resource documenting the booklet Herbert W. Armstrong produced on YouTube.

References