And they will take up serpents... Snake Handling Churches

[Egyptian Phoenix]

LOL?

[Smoke]

Snake handlers are nuts, but they fascinate me. You can't say they don't take their Bible seriously. I've never been to one of their services, but I'd love to go -- as long as I can get a spot near the door.


YouTube - Jolo, WV Homecoming 2008

[Buttercup]

Originally Posted by Smoke

Snake handlers are nuts, but they fascinate me. You can't say they don't take their Bible seriously. I've never been to one of their services, but I'd love to go -- as long as I can get a spot near the door.

I've always wanted to attend a service too. We don't have people that crazy in our neck of the woods though.

[Egyptian Phoenix]

I'm willing to go, just to watch and see if anyone gets bit

[Nowhere Man]

A number of states (most notable Tennessee) have already banned snake handling due to documented deaths and some have restricted this practice to adults. There is obvious danger in handling poisonous snakes, and especially when handled or in proximity of striking distance by children is a recipe for disaster.

[Odion]

Literalistic interpretations of such passages are never a good thing.

Not only do most early manuscripts omit this verse (signifying it was almost definitely a later addition), but this could be understood in terms of metaphor:

they will pick up snakes with their hands; = they will encounter sinful people
and when they drink deadly poison, = they will live and work with them, "drinking" the poison of a "wicked society"
it will not hurt them at all; = as they are righteous, they will not be tempted to 'poisonous ways
they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." = they will stop people from doing sinful things, and they will become like Christians.


It could be an addition, basically explaining how Christians should persevere in Hellenistic Roman society, and they will eventually gain the upper hand, as opposed to literally handling snakes.

Interestingly...

1 Corinthians 10:9: We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.

Looks like it's their fault if they get bit, for testing God.

[Egyptian Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Odion

Literalistic interpretations of such passages are never a good thing.

Not only do most early manuscripts omit this verse (signifying it was almost definitely a later addition), but this could be understood in terms of metaphor:

they will pick up snakes with their hands; = they will encounter sinful people
and when they drink deadly poison, = they will live and work with them, "drinking" the poison of a "wicked society"
it will not hurt them at all; = as they are righteous, they will not be tempted to 'poisonous ways
they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." = they will stop people from doing sinful things, and they will become like Christians.


It could be an addition, basically explaining how Christians should persevere in Hellenistic Roman society, and they will eventually gain the upper hand, as opposed to literally handling snakes.

Interestingly...

1 Corinthians 10:9: We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.

Looks like it's their fault if they get bit, for testing God.

I agree with this. I think many tend to read the Bible way too literally for being an ancient document, or a collection of ancient documents, rather. The Bible doesn't have to be literal to be true on some level.

[Odion]

Originally Posted by Yosef1986

I agree with this. I think many tend to read the Bible way too literally for being an ancient document, or a collection of ancient documents, rather. The Bible doesn't have to be literal to be true on some level.

It's a case of people going by the letter of the text as opposed to the spirit of it. The very thing Jesus is supposed to have preached against in Christianity, and many Christians keep to it.

Ironic in a sad way, that.

[MSizer]

They are dead serious about it. They think that their faith will prevent them from being dying from a snake bight. Their founder died in the late fifties of a snake bight. It is yet another perfect example of the lunacy of religious faith.

[Odion]

Originally Posted by MSizer

It is yet another perfect example of the lunacy of religious faith.

That's rather unfair. They are considered lunatics even by the vast majority of religious adherents, and I resent being lumped in with nutjobs because I have believe in something.