1975 in Prophecy! is a digest-size booklet warning of an 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, published in 1956 by the Radio Church of God. Herbert W Armstrong ( 31 July 1892 - 16 January 1986) was the founder of the Worldwide Church of God and an early pioneer of Basil Wolverton (July 9 1909 &ndash December 31 1978 was an American Cartoonist, comic book writer-artist, Illustrator and professed "Producer Mad is a monthly American Humor Magazine founded by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines in 1952 The Worldwide Church of God (WCG formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora California, United States. No longer in print, it is now valued for its illustrations.
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Summary
The events described were to begin shortly after February 1972 and climax during 1975. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 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. Events 1325 - Alfonso IV becomes King of Portugal. 1558 - France takes Calais, the last continental Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The World Tomorrow is a now-defunct Radio and Television half-hour program which had been sponsored by the Radio Church of God (later renamed Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
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 time-line 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.
. . . 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. . .
It is interesting that some of these things did occur, only about 19 years later than the two 19 year cycles that Armstrong was using for his calculations.
The booklet was written in 1956 during the Cold War years. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the It stated that the United States of America, 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 United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 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. A federal Europe is a proposal that much of Europe be unified in the manner of a Federation. History See also History of the Papacy Catholics recognize the Pope as a successor to Saint Peter, who Jesus named as the "shepherd" and For other uses see Antichrist (disambiguation In Christian eschatology, the Antichrist or anti-Christ means a person office
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.
Armstrong was also certain that the USSR would not attack the USA or UK but disintegrate instead:
. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located . . 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. Herbert W. Armstrong had previously written in this style as an advertising copywriter in Chicago. Herbert W Armstrong ( 31 July 1892 - 16 January 1986) was the founder of the Worldwide Church of God and an early pioneer of Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. 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. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the In 1956 this booklet was not attempting to predict the future, it was stating future events as fact.
Balancing scientific advances, wrote Herbert W. 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.
. . . 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. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Evangelicalism is a theological movement tradition and system of beliefs most closely associated with Protestant Christianity, which identifies with the Gospel The Rapture is a prophesied event in Christian eschatology, in which Christians will be gathered together at the return of Christ; even Christians who have died Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE)
Central to his discussion of prophecy was the emergence of the United States of Europe:
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 that:
. A federal Europe is a proposal that much of Europe be unified in the manner of a Federation. . . 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:
. The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992 . . resurrected Roman Empire . . . bind(ing) together some 250 to 300 millions of peoples!.
Distributed worldwide
1975 in Prophecy! was advertised free of charge on The World Tomorrow radio network and in the pages of free subscription magazine called The Plain Truth magazine. The World Tomorrow is a now-defunct Radio and Television half-hour program which had been sponsored by the Radio Church of God (later renamed The Plain Truth is a US -based Magazine founded by Herbert W Armstrong who also founded the Radio Church of God (later renamed the 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, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and certain sections of Western Europe, were all a part of the so-called Ten Lost Tribes of Israel. The phrase Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refers to the ancient Tribes of Israel that disappeared from the Biblical account after the Kingdom of Israel was destroyed
When this booklet first appeared it had the effect of both encouraging and/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. The Worldwide Church of God (WCG formerly the Radio Church of God, is a Christian church currently based in Glendora California, United States.
Footnotes
Because Herbert W. Armstrong had an advertising background he was conscious of themes and slogans. He changed the name of his religious radio program from Radio Church of God to The World Tomorrow after the theme "The World of Tomorrow" for the 1939 World's Fair in New York. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Expo (short for "exposition" and also known as World Fair and World's Fair) is the name given to various large public exhibitions held since the New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Religious music was removed from his program and replaced with a closing jingle made in Hollywood. His announcer was Art Gilmore who became famous for voice-over introductions on the Highway Patrol and other TV shows. Arthur "Art" Gilmore (born March 18, 1912) is a Voice actor and announcer whose voice has been heard in Radio and Television programs A highway patrol is either a Police agency created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing Traffic safety Compliance on roads and highways Gilmore began Armstrong's announcement with variations of the words:
The World Tomorrow! Herbert W. Armstrong brings you the plain truth about today's world news with the prophecies of the world tomorrow.
Bobby Fischer began listening to The World Tomorrow broadcast in 1962 and by the time of the Match of the Century in late 1972, he was still not certain whether the timetable was still on track but a little off the mark. Robert James "Bobby" Fischer ( March 9 1943 – January 17 2008) was an American -born Chess Grandmaster As a result he donated thousands of his winnings to Herbert W. Armstrong.
External links
God's Work NOW! True remnant holding fast to the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong. A copy of 1975 in prophecy can be found on this site.
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