Snake-handling pastor dies from snake-bite.

[Buford]

Makes you wonder, should they legalize suicide on religious grounds?

That's a serious question.

I think the muslims have already decided it's okay.

 

[earlycuyler]

"They will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all."

Snake-handlers are hypocrites. They handle poisonous snakes, but they don't drink deadly poison. They're not acting out of faith, they know drinking poison will kill them. They act out of hope, hope that the snakes won't bite. Maybe they're worse than hypocrites, they're probably con men who milk the snakes before putting on the show.

For believers, there's the issue of what this verse refers to. Does it mean to deliberately pick up snakes to put on a show or test God? Or, does it mean that the saints will be resistant to attempts to harm them, until God decides it's time for them to come home? There's also the issue of the scope of this promise, "they" doesn't necessarily mean each and every individual for all time.

Some scholars believe that passage believe that passage should not even be there. I don't agree with the snake handlers because I believe it is referring to God's protection in case you get bit or drink poison. These people are obviously tempting God and are clearly wrong. Ignorance.

Its a stunt, and nothing more. If you watch them on TV the snakes are lethargic. This is because the crank the AC and chill them before handling. You can tell the ones who dont prepare the animals like this by looking at there fingers. If they are all deformed and missing, chances are they got popped a time or two

 

[Youwerecreated]

God gives common sense ,I guess some don't have the ability to use it.

 

[earlycuyler]

there are 3 major books on serpent handling.....read them they are interesting and will show you the faith these people have....

children are not allowed to handle serpents....

No one can do it willy nilly.

 

[Ariux]

Its a stunt, and nothing more.

Exactly. The nuts in the room aren't the snake handlers. The nuts are the people who think this isn't a stunt.

 

[strollingbones]

is it any more a stunt than turning crackers and grape juice into the body and blood of christ?

is it,, there early.....i didnt expect you to be this narrow minded

 

[Dr.Drock]

God gives common sense ,I guess some don't have the ability to use it.

Speaking of common sense.

http://public.wsu.edu/~kkardong/Web of KVK_06b/Publications/Evolution_venom_app82.pdf

THE EVOLUTION OF THE VENOM APPARATUS IN
SNAKES FROM COLUBRIDS TO VIPERIDS & ELAPIDS
Kenneth V. KARDONG *

ABSTRACT: The venom apparatus of poisonous snakes consists
of a fang and associated venom gland (or glands). Venomous
snakes evolved from nonvenomous ancestors.

 

[nitroz]

Dumbass.

 

[Skull Pilot]

is it any more a stunt than turning crackers and grape juice into the body and blood of christ?

is it,, there early.....i didnt expect you to be this narrow minded

other than the fact that crackers and grape juice won't kill you

 

[bodecea]

I have to ask....is the snake ok?

 

[Pho_King]

no, they do drink strychnine. And some die from it. ANd many get snakebit and suffer horrible injuries. It may be difficult to believe that someone in the Western world can have such faith. But some do.

If they do drink strychnine, then they're not drinking enough to kill themselves. It's still a fraud if they're only mildly poisoning themselves (or intending to only mildly poisoning themselves). Anyone who takes a couple of grams of strychnine in solution, without medical treatment, will die without a real miracle.
Even fraud can be dangerous. A milked snake might still have enough poison to cause real damage.

Your choice is either that they're frauds (because they're not dead) or that they are miraculously surviving poison (because they're not dead). ...at least until the day they screwup and actually do kill themselves.

You clearly do not intend to change your mind about the lethal potential of the activities-namely the drinking of strychnine- engaged in by this pentecostal sect. And I doubt a perusal of State ex rel Swann v Pack, 527 S.W. 2d 99 (Tenn 1975) will change your mind. Clearly, in spite of the injunction sought by the DA to prohibit the drinking of strychnine after the deaths of two church members, you must be right.

 

[Pho_King]

"They will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all."

Snake-handlers are hypocrites. They handle poisonous snakes, but they don't drink deadly poison. They're not acting out of faith, they know drinking poison will kill them. They act out of hope, hope that the snakes won't bite. Maybe they're worse than hypocrites, they're probably con men who milk the snakes before putting on the show.

For believers, there's the issue of what this verse refers to. Does it mean to deliberately pick up snakes to put on a show or test God? Or, does it mean that the saints will be resistant to attempts to harm them, until God decides it's time for them to come home? There's also the issue of the scope of this promise, "they" doesn't necessarily mean each and every individual for all time.

Some scholars believe that passage believe that passage should not even be there. I don't agree with the snake handlers because I believe it is referring to God's protection in case you get bit or drink poison. These people are obviously tempting God and are clearly wrong. Ignorance.

Its a stunt, and nothing more. If you watch them on TV the snakes are lethargic. This is because the crank the AC and chill them before handling. You can tell the ones who dont prepare the animals like this by looking at there fingers. If they are all deformed and missing, chances are they got popped a time or two

So, you are saying its a stunt, except for those occassions when its not. okay.

 

[Pho_King]

Its a stunt, and nothing more.

Exactly. The nuts in the room aren't the snake handlers. The nuts are the people who think this isn't a stunt.

Have it your own ignorant way.

 

[amrchaos]

"They will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all."

Snake-handlers are hypocrites. They handle poisonous snakes, but they don't drink deadly poison. They're not acting out of faith, they know drinking poison will kill them. They act out of hope, hope that the snakes won't bite. Maybe they're worse than hypocrites, they're probably con men who milk the snakes before putting on the show.

For believers, there's the issue of what this verse refers to. Does it mean to deliberately pick up snakes to put on a show or test God? Or, does it mean that the saints will be resistant to attempts to harm them, until God decides it's time for them to come home? There's also the issue of the scope of this promise, "they" doesn't necessarily mean each and every individual for all time.

Some scholars believe that passage believe that passage should not even be there. I don't agree with the snake handlers because I believe it is referring to God's protection in case you get bit or drink poison. These people are obviously tempting God and are clearly wrong. Ignorance.

(SARCASM)
Are you claiming that there are untruths and misleading statements in the Bible?

How do you know? Who are you to question the word of God almighty?

I bet you are one of those "freethinkers", aren't you. Well god don't like nobody that thinks freely of him. So go ahead and get oiled up for the Devils party down under. Because that is the only place people that question the words of god go!!

 

[Pho_King]

"They will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all."

Snake-handlers are hypocrites. They handle poisonous snakes, but they don't drink deadly poison. They're not acting out of faith, they know drinking poison will kill them. They act out of hope, hope that the snakes won't bite. Maybe they're worse than hypocrites, they're probably con men who milk the snakes before putting on the show.

For believers, there's the issue of what this verse refers to. Does it mean to deliberately pick up snakes to put on a show or test God? Or, does it mean that the saints will be resistant to attempts to harm them, until God decides it's time for them to come home? There's also the issue of the scope of this promise, "they" doesn't necessarily mean each and every individual for all time.

Some scholars believe that passage believe that passage should not even be there. I don't agree with the snake handlers because I believe it is referring to God's protection in case you get bit or drink poison. These people are obviously tempting God and are clearly wrong. Ignorance.

(SARCASM)
Are you claiming that there are untruths and misleading statements in the Bible?

How do you know? Who are you to question the word of God almighty?

I bet you are one of those "freethinkers", aren't you. Well god don't like nobody that thinks freely of him. So go ahead and get oiled up for the Devils party down under. Because that is the only place people that question the words of god go!!

Ahhhh. The sweet sounds of bigotry....

 

[Nosmo King]

Does every faith everywhere have aesthetics? Swamis sleeping on beds of nails, Islamic sects beating their backs bloody, Appalachians handling snakes and drinking poison. Is this phenomenon universal to all faiths?

And if so, can we safely assume that acts like this are way out of the main stream?

 

[amrchaos]

Does every faith everywhere have aesthetics? Swamis sleeping on beds of nails, Islamic sects beating their backs bloody, Appalachians handling snakes and drinking poison. Is this phenomenon universal to all faiths?

And if so, can we safely assume that acts like this are way out of the main stream?

Is this phenomenon universal to all faiths?
No--it is not an universal phenom.

And if so, can we safely assume that acts like this are way out of the main stream?

That depends
Yes, if we consider the modern version of a religion as the mainstream.

No, If we consider an earlier version(or a particular version) of said religion as the mainstream version.

Bottomline, there are some nutty claims that tends to foreshadow the truthiness of the other claims in the NT. I call these claims warning signs

 

[earlycuyler]

is it any more a stunt than turning crackers and grape juice into the body and blood of christ?

is it,, there early.....i didnt expect you to be this narrow minded

I did not mean to sound so narrow minded, and yes, in 99% of the churches that practice the lords supper its done for nothing more then looks. In the case of the serpent handlers, the ones I have seen were a dedicated group, with procedures for handling snakes. Despite how they are portrayed, they are not mostly stupid pecker woods. You can spot the dumb ones by a simple finger count. That said, there is a method to how they handle the snakes. They keep it safe for the animal, and handler.

 

[earlycuyler]

Its a stunt, and nothing more.

Exactly. The nuts in the room aren't the snake handlers. The nuts are the people who think this isn't a stunt.

Have it your own ignorant way.

Not as ignorant as you think.

 

[strollingbones]

here the serpent handlers are very private in their services.....but you know them cause they will buy large snakes from ya....myself.....i am not touching a snake....hell i dont even like trouser snakes...