I heard the MOST annoying thing about Corns....

Ya know, it's funny. I brought this topic up before, because I have heard it. I was shocked, when I heard it the first time. Now, I get a chuckle out of these kinds of comments.

Wayne

The way I was brought up, snakes are no more evil than sharks, bats, bugs, a virus, a parasite etc. Each will do what it needs to do to survive. Does that make it evil??? Certainly not! Its our view of such animals, ( normally learned or taught to us in childhood ) that makes the creature SEEM evil. I don't like spiders. Does that make them evil? Absolutely not! I even held a tarantula at a local Faerie Festival. (Of course if it had moved the least little bit in my hand, I would have screamed and it would have gone flying! Poor critter! My issue not the spider's.)

Devon

lol, Noname what you said is kinda funny. I would say those things to other people, but its my family. What can you say? I do love them, but they are closed minded(sometimes...a little).

Anyway, I'm glad a few people on here are former pastors and all. I actually printed out Russels post and showed it to my mom. She still things the snake is cursed, and because of the curse it crawls on its belly...but she doesn't beleive its "bad" really anymore...

Apparently this is an ongoing debate between snake people/snake haters.

My uncle still thinks its trashy to own a snake, but we hardly ever talk to him for that reason(he is RUDE). But I have a snake, and I am in NO WAY a trashy person I know that no one else on here is either...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Medevil_Nuke View Post
On a side note. Being Catholic I personally find it absolutely hilarious when people such as those that you mentioned completely misunderstand God's teachings and twist his sacred texts into meaning things for their own intentions; that is just lacking some serious respect man!
In my home country they would be beaten for making lies about the bible.

But I'm not trying to start a big religion thing, just my thoughts.
Oh Goody, I knew somebody would open it up, throw down the staff so to speak.

If I may ask for a clarification, what you are saying is that if people don’t agree with your understanding of “the sacred text” then they are laughable, disrespectful, and should be beaten. Is that what you mean? Isn’t that as narrow minded as the people who think that snakes are of the devil?

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Hmmm? Oh no no no, that is not what I am insinuating.
What I was merely stating is that I find it laughable how universal truths and wisdom written within ""the sacred text"" can and is often distorted into a weapon that certain group's exploit as ways of validating their claims and believes for their cause. Ex: racial injustice, ethnic cleanings, interpretations of cosmic events, the meaning of life and its value, how one should act ect....

That last comment was also just an example about how "unaccepting" people are to new ideas, not my own thoughts.

I understand this is getting a bit too out of hand so I'm going to kill this now and not respond to any more comments pertaining my blatantly stated words.

And I wasn't trying to bring up a religion thing...it just says in the bible that God cursed the devil to crawl on his belly and eat the dust of the earth...which is where my mom gets the snake/devil/cursed thing...

Also, just to defend my mom, she IS halfway joking(although she hates the snake.)

I'm not gonna defend my Uncle though...he makes no sense.

COerriccaRN said:

My uncle still thinks its trashy to own a snake, but we hardly ever talk to him for that reason(he is RUDE). But I have a snake, and I am in NO WAY a trashy person I know that no one else on here is either...

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Emily, now that, I think, is the funniest post so far. I'd love to meet your uncle. He sounds like a riot.

Oh, he is a riot and he says everything for good fun...but STILL.

hmmm...I REALLY need to write an update to that little writing of mine... There's other things I've found... The bible is indeed too often used as an excuse for some groups to pull the stunts that they do. And there is no denomination that I know of that is innocent of such things! Frankly too few people bother to read through it and really let it sink in what is being said. I love coming across passages that suddenly I'm going, oh hey wait, that applies to this other situation way back over here that I read and... Anyhow, maybe someday I'll get some free time and write it up better and with the additions that I have in mind. I read it again tonight and though, blegh, come on, you can do better than this...LOL! We are our own worst critic!

Anyhow, glad you guys liked it anyway. And yeah, your not going to convince those who claim to have a religious arguement why they hate snakes. But at least you can show direct from the bible which they claim to follow, that their arguement holds no water.

Maybe I could like, write a little booklet and sell it for a gazillion dollars at reptile shows...dude, I'd be a millionaire! Just think! :sidestep:

wade said:

I think we have learned a valuable lesson here. Don’t ever get into it with religious people. No matter what your position or theirs. They will talk you to death and then beat your broken body with the book.

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Have totally been there and done that! Was a time that I just didn't know the bible like I do now! This little write up I hope will let those who are Christians realize that there is no biblical condemnation for keeping snakes! I've had it in the past where people strongly told me it was a sign I was possesed by the devil and garbage like that! When the bible simply does NOT teach that at all! But regardless, they'll try to hold to their personal beliefs rather than the bible verses so plainly shown to light!

MinLynn said:

We got into a conversation and he said that there is no definitive proof that it was a snake in the bible or an apple for that matter(we're Methodist).

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1. the proof is the bible
2. our priest (we are roman catholic) said that only that particular snake was possessed by the devil and that it wasn't all of snake kind...

Well, to each his own. Each religion/stream/church/whatever, has their own opinion on snakes.
Being Jewish, all I know is that the only animal that was sent forth on to the earth to represent God was a snake- Moses' staff turned into what?
Mhmm,
though so,
yeah.

Anyways, I don't like fanaticism, it caused far more damage then good

Snakes seem to be thriving without any limbs, and I think that the whole bible played out as it did for our sake, not anyone else's.
I think that believing a snake could "outsmart" God, or do something against his will, is foolish. The snake played his designated role, that's my belief, anyways.

Regardless, be a zealot if you want, but why does the whole world have to suffer because of YOUR choice.

I don't get these people, I just don't

Very well said Mr. Pelli. I think we should band together and drive the fanatics and zealots from the land.

Regardless, be a zealot if you want, but why does the whole world have to suffer because of YOUR choice.

I don't get these people, I just don't

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I think we should band together and drive the fanatics and zealots from the land.

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Okay...hold on now guys... Y'all are talking about my family and parents and friends. I wasn't writing this for them to get bashed about their beleifs or how they are...I was just wondering if this was widely talked about. They are not fanatics or zealots or any of the other things that people have called them on this thread. They are not "foolish" or anything else. They are the best christian people I know and I already said my mom was halfway JOKING when she said the snake was cursed. I wasn't signing up for a hate session about my family, I just wanted to know if anyone else has heard this...So lets bring down the name calling and critisizing just a hair...this is my family...

Emily, please, my statement was a joke. If we band together to drive out the fanatics and zealots, then we would be fanatics and zealots.

Kokopelli wasn’t talking about your family specifically. He was talking about fanatics.

Don’t take any of this personally. You have to admit however, you did start this by complaining about your family. Don’t get mad at the people that agree with you.

I think this thread has drifted away from your family and is now discussing people and their strange ideas about religion.

I know it has drifted, but in the beginning it was about my family. And yes, I did complain but I didn't call them anything bad...

And I know your statement was a joke, as you are always joking, but I just used your quote for the sake of an example.

I just feel like this stemmed off of my families issues with snakes and they are included in the group of "people who use religion to their own beleifs" and what-not. They are not like that AT ALL and I was just starting this thread to see if anyone else has ever heard these statements...no to say anything negative about my parents or grandparents. They are just hard headed southern babtist set in their ways and nothing is wrong with that...I just wanted to hear other things people have heard because I thought it was an interesting topic. I didn't want it to be talking bad about other people now I feel bad...

As for snakes being evil or cursed as per the bible, I agree with what many have pointed out in this thread that people will have their own interpretation, literal or figurative, of the bible to meet their own needs and defend their own opinion. Everyone will have a black, white and varying degrees of gray on any subject, and this seems especially predominant with religion. You just have to pick and choose your battles, and learn to compromise when necessary.

As for snakes being "trashy" pets, I read a few replies to some articles about the recent Python incident in which respondents accused snakes of being WTP - white trash pets. That only uneducated, trailer park inhabitants would own such an animal. I think the variety of members on this board disproves that as there are high school students to PhD holders, nurses and teachers, Pagans and Christians, including Pastors. Owning a snake carries the same responsibility as caring for any captive animal, and keeping and breeding them is just like any hobby or business. It is only abnormal to those that are uneducated, uninformed and/or unfamiliar with the pet snake industry and community.

I much like the point that gabegt brought up that it is much easier to introduce a snake to a child. Children have yet to be indoctrinated with the misconceptions that many adults use to defend their negative opinion of snakes, and any subject really. I find it sad how various media affect and influence us to become so intolerant.

I read that to, Maricia...and it is sad that people who own snakes are put into that group although a snake is just like having a lizard, fish, dog, horse or any other type of pet.

I liked Kokopelli's example of Moses and his staff. The snake was representing God. That kind of says it all right there.

I think the White Trash thing gets to me more than the religion thing. I mean,if that were all true then I'm the whitest trashiest mess there is! With all my snakes and reptiles AND 7 cats and 4 dogs! And can you just picture Eric as white trash? LOL! I'm trying to! I really am!
Anyway, those have met me in person should know that I'm the farthest from white trash. In fact,if you wanna know the truth,I'm just a teensy bit stuck up. People can throw their bible at me all they want and I don't care but don't call me white trash! LOL!

Oh Emily, sweetie, don't be silly. And definitely don't feel bad.
But you do get the prize for kindly whipping everyone back "On Topic". We may need you down the line.
Lordy, lordy here's one for you. And it is true.

Most of all of you people have heard of the Bible Belt, Southern Baptists, etc. And Louisiana is smack dab in the middle of all of that.
Well every summer growing up, until 13 or so, my mother would book me into Vacation Bible School. (A traumatic thing for a shy, introverted young lad who just wanted to go to the woods and catch snakes. Note, we lived in Kentucky, near the Ohio River bottoms until 1975.)
Well after those two mortifying weeks, she'd (at my insistence) send me down to spend the rest of the summer to stay with my dear kind precious grandparents, who I look up to as saints to this day. The loss of my grandmother in 2001 was, and is, a difficult thing for me, and my grandfather turned 93 in July. But I digress.

Well low and behold, I arrived every summer to find my grandmother had booked me into yet a second two week stint in their church's Vacation Bible School. Two more weeks of organized regimented mind control among mostly strangers. But I survived. And lived to make lemons into lemonade. I learned scripture. And went on to read the whole bible. Several times, and 4 to 5 versions. I learned that much in the Bible is metaphorical and figurative, (not so simple as literal). A clever and brilliant way to teach higher thoughts and ideas and principles. Jesus was a brilliant teacher, but his audience just wasn't that bright. But he did his best. I wax philosophical about all of the subjects he himself never touched upon. Like anything about sex. I even went on to study philosophy. But again, I digress.

Well, before, between, and after all the Vacation Bible school confinement and torture, I caught many and varied snakes. Brought them home. Showed them around. My grandmother told me snakes were supposed to be killed, their heads to be bruised under the heals of men (and women). Sat me down and showed me the thousands of years old scriptural (and metaphorical and figurative ) proof that snakes were the descendants of Satan.

Still not feeling satanic, I continued to read about, catch, identify, and bring home snakes. At her wit's end, my grandmother being a practical women, she decided (like no doubt many missionaries and spreaders of the gospel in the past) to bribe me into conforming to the scriptures. She said she would pay me not to catch snakes, and if I agreed, that an especially big bonus would come when I graduated high school.

Well I was ethically torn. I wanted to please my grandmother. I wanted to accept her "pay to pray" offer. But moreover, I wanted her to know that my belief in her God did not conflict in my mind with garter snakes and blue racers.
So I went to my grandfather, a very wise man, who also knew my grandmother much better than me. He was even more practical, and I don't think he had much against snakes. He told me to take the money, keep my mouth shut, keep catching all the snakes I wanted, but quit waving them around, and for God's sake stop bringing them around my grandmother. Needless to say, I was awakened to a new way of looking at things by my grandfather.

Anywaayyy,....true to my own values, I refused the money...AND...stopped bringing snakes around my grandmother.
Now, you have my story.