“Handling snakes doesn’t impress anyone, lets see those crazy bastards handle a 400lb tiger while walking on fire… that’ll gain ’em some respect.” – tallwookie
Associated Press – November 7, 2006:
A southeastern Kentucky woman was bitten by a snake during a church service and later died, a law enforcement officer said. Linda Long, 48, of London died Sunday at University of Kentucky Medical Center, said Brad Mitchell, a detective with the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office.
Long died about four hours after the bite was reported, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.
Officials said Long attended East London Holiness Church. Neighbors of the church told the newspaper the church practices serpent handling.
Snake handling is based on a passage in the Bible, in the Gospel of Mark, that says a sign of a true believer is the power to “take up serpents” without being harmed.
If I’ve learned one thing in life, it’s that you don’t mess with the Snake!
I don’t know why they have to prove their grade of belief so much. Be it handling snakes or donating money.
They don’t impress me. And since I’m supposed to have been created in gods image, I don’t think he’s impressed either. Big deal!
Now, seriously. It’s tragic. But I don’t see any way it could have been avoided other than posting a warning on the church. Like the ones on cigarette packs maybe.
As usual… religion make people do stupid things. Religion is just a legalized scam. Politicians prefer it that way, because the more people pray and pay to get their ticket for the “afterlife”, the less time they get to see what the politicians are up to.
Hm, just thought about it:
“……sign of a true believer is the power to “take up serpents” without being harmed”
I was thinking, at least she died certain she was going to heaven.
Then again, as she was bitten, got sick and died… OMG :O
False believer!
She must have thought she was going to hell. Poor thing.
The passage here is Mark 16:18. This passage Jesus is directly talking to his apolstles. The following verses tell us that these apostles were given powers to help confirm the Word.
The Word has been confirmed (written), there is no more need of miracles, signs, or wonders. What is needed is for people to hear it, or read it, believe it and obey it.
New Testament examples of becoming a Christian, are hearing the Word, Believing, Repenting of your sins, and being baptized for the remission of your sins(Acts 2:38).
I certainly don’t mean to diminish the sense of loss, either to her family or the church, but there is an upside even to tragic events like this one…..
(wait for it, wait for it…)
People this crazy make the rest of us look so much more sane 😉
I Handle Snakes (y’all): http://cdbaby.com/mp3lofi/gadfly217-06.m3u
So, Britney is a true believer?
Great song, #6 JohnMo! That rocks!
(never heard stuff like that in my church)
I HANDLE SNAKES
it’s my life
it’s my decision
it’s my idea of a good time
it’s my religion
i don’t make no sudden movements
can’t afford to make mistakes
i’m a fearless man
i handle snakes (y’all)
the lord of hosts
has got to like me
else this thing here
(this one right here)
would surely strike me
the one man lays down 10 percent
another man trembles and quakes
i save my money
i handle snakes (y’all)
i handle snakes
well i hug ’em and i kiss ’em
i handle snakes
and if they kill me
i’ll sure miss ’em
(i handle snakes
i love it when they listen
listen)
i handle snakes
and if they kill me
i’m sure gonna miss ’em
’cause it’s my life
it’s my decision
it’s my idea of a good time (yes it is yes it is)
it’s my religion
However
i don’t say hallelujah
i don’t even say grace
but i make my statement
i say it with snakes
You are a person after my own heart, SN. When faced with difficult choices, I always try to reflect a moment and ask myself “What would Plissken do?”
Otherwise, I’ve always tried to make it a personal practice that, when I encounter a venomous creature capable of killing me in the event it feels threatened, I avoid doing anything that would make the circumstance all about me the same way that I avoid trying to tie my shoes with running chainsaws or practice my high diving form in the shower.
Hopefully the nut job’s survivors have the consolation of knowing when they were bitten, they were likely so oblivious to their environment as a whole that they never became aware of being fatally poisoned and spent their last moments wondering if anyone noticed that they’d been wearing the same outfit they wore the last time they came to Church or wondering if they’d left their headlights on when they parked the car.
ya know, its amazing that god is supposed to be all knowing, all powerful, etc… he just cant handle money. always needs more. Im not sure what exactly he does with it, since i’ve heard you cant take your money with you when you die.
and handling snakes doesnt impress anyone, lets see those crazy bastards handle a 400lb tiger while walking on fire. that’ll gain em some respect
#7
Seems like Britney was really tempted by the snake. So much, that she has filed for divorce.
No comments from the snake as yet.
no church can handle a snake
Mark 16:9-20 is not found in the earliest Greek manuscripts. it’s a real shame that some churches conduct such a foolish practice based on a passage that may have been a later addition.
The congregation of these small churches are on the lowest end of the social-economic ladder. Extreme Fundamentalism thrives in isolated rural communities. There are many of these churches that handle vipers and drink poison as a faith ritual. Fatalities are rare. The roots of Christianity is with the poor and disenfranchised. Roman slaves anyone? Many religions/cultures have rituals that tempt death. Peter Adair made a documentary entitled, “The Holy Ghost People”, in the late 60’s. It’s still worth the watch because little has changed in these communities.
Why do you hate religion so much? Were you molested by a preist or something? Or maybe you’re pissed that you weren’t molested by a preist?
Just wonderin’
“Why do you hate religion so much?
Gee, you’re given a clear example of a person dying solely because of religion and you still need an answer to your question?!
How about this, people in favor of religion are usually brainless idiots like yourself!
Wow I for one am impressed… I think they should issue snakes to every religious person.
#15
Oh man 😉 Just what I expect from a religious person. It’s got to be sexual molestation, doesn’t it?
You’re sick and need help.
And please don’t go to a catholic “father” for help. Most of them joined the church force when they realized their gayness and thought celibate would keep them clean. It might have helped for a while until the quire boys became too much to handle.
Anyway, my take on religion? In general, it creates conflicts on national and international basis. Look around you. What do you see? Hate, terror, war and unrest. And it’s all based on beliefs and religion.
That’s my take on religion. It’s destroying the planet we live on and all that’s on it.
But hey, that’s just me 😀
You’re all in my prayers… 🙂
#19
Please, enlighten me and write that prayer down in this forum.
The “You’re all in my prayers…” quota is idiotic and sounds just like a stupid joke.
I could do with a laugh right now 😐
14’s point that fatalities are rare is rather interesting – This one person died, but what about all the people who didn’t die? Surely that gives some measure of support to their belief?
#21
It tells me to give more credit to the snakes and less to the people.
Emphasis on #4’s point This passage Jesus is directly talking to his apolstles.
People often mistake something said to a specific person(s) for some universal religious truth.
It’s not about Religion, its not about Christianity, its about *their* religion/christianity.
its a special case
#23
You can pick and choose whatever you like from the bible, and form your christianity exactly to your liking. The shalls and the shall nots are all relative, eh?
Hm, liberal christianity anyone? And I, who thought virginity is an absolute is, or is not.
#24, it has nothing to do with picking and choosing. it has to do with thinking. if you read the text, and something is said to a specific group, why should anyone universalize it? think for a minute, who is this said to, and why.
There is a school of critics that say “the bible doesn’t apply today because the world is different” but when someone who is perceived to be a christian says “that might not apply because the audience is different” then appears a critic that says “all or none buddy”
there is a school of critics that says “believers don’t think” and here, a critic that tells one not to think.
not so good.
there are non-thinking christians, and non-thinking non-christians, so what? there are thinkers all around too. Even the bible itself says to test everything.
#25
Sorry to say but I didn’t get much other than “yada yada and the ocean is blue” from your #25
I have a question: Jesus was OK with slavery. Was that because he dealt with someone specific? Or maybe that part of the bible just reflected that day and age? Or maybe your god has changed his mind in the recent millennium?
Or maybe you say the bible tells you to think, thus you think and totally reject slavery because time has changed? If you do, how do you choose what to believe in literally, and what to adjust?
This is for all of you that have the NERVE to call someone a nutcase: you have no right to talk about how someone decides to practice their religion. Although I have not handled snakes, my grandfather, grandmother, uncle and numerous other family members have done so and will continue to do so. Yes, it’s tragic when something of this nature happens, but to pass judgement on someone YOU do not know is so callous. I know this family and they have more faith in their little finger than you have in your body! Rather than being so judgmental you should step back and look at your own souls. I’d much rather see someone handle snakes in church than hear of the priests in other churches that have molested children. As the Bible says: Matthew 7:3-5-And why beholdest though the mote that is thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is thine own eye. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, let me pull out the mote out of thine eye and behold a beam is in thine own eye. Thou HYPOCRITE, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt you see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” For those of you that don’t understand don’t judge someone else until you look at your ownself first!
I’m sorry for your loss.
It was very unnecessary to say it least. And that’s my personal take on it.
Having said that, I have to support the wording “nutcase”.
I think the same of people running through streets in front of bulls. Or do other things that really isn’t, … safe.
I will not comment the handling of the snakes, other than I think it’s, … not humane.
Many participants in this forum doesn’t share your faith, including me. So, your quote from your holy book doesn’t give much of an impression on me personally. On the contrary actually.
Again, I’m sorry for your loss. And bear in mind that the discussion goes on principles rather than person.
i would like to thank everyone for thier comments first because one day you will have to face the lord and give and account of these words. next i would say that i have known this family since before they were married bro. gary and fay have been married about 28 years have two children 3 gran children it is a terrible thing that has happened and i dont understand all about it but if a soilder in battle gets killed he died in service for his country he is a hero. but jesus said if you lose your life for my sake and the gospels you will take it up again. and this great lady of faith and love lost her life trying to get some of the people that dont know about the ways of god saved .they are great people and have handled serpents since thier youth .so to handle hundreds of serpents and no harm come to them there has to be something about it that the lord approves of .thank you for your time also my dad was 80 years old when he died of cancer my mother was 81 when she died of heart trouble they both handled serpents since they were young adults just a few months before my mothers death we handled a rattlesnake we bear reproach for the word of god GOD BLESS YOU all and save all that call upon his name{JESUS}
Hmmm? Principles, not the person. Perhaps you should go back and read your own postings. “False believer” “She must have thought she was going to hell. Poor thing” “The “You’re all in my prayers…” quota(sic) is idiotic and sounds just like a stupid joke.” “You’re sick and need help”
Unfortunately, sounds a bit “personal” to me. You should practice what you preach. Oops, sorry, I’m sure that probably offends your practical, non-religious self. I don’t care if you believe in the Bible, the Koran, God, Allah, Buddah or the weeds that grow in your front yard. My point yesterday is the same as it is today: Until you know of what you speak and make fun of people you don’t know perhaps you should look at your ownself and think before you speak (type).