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Snake Salvation

gsdbecca

gsdbecca

New member
I stumbled upon this show last night, and couldn't help but watch. You know, train wreck affect. Turns out it was the first airing. It's about snake-handling churches. Anyone else want to admit to watching the this. :rofl: Thoughts?
 
1) Proves that "reality TV" is about as unreal as it gets
2) Makes me fear for the sanity and intelligence of America's citizens
3) Hate that snakes are being used for such purposes

I think the best thing to do with this sort of TV is ignore it - if people don't watch the show, it goes away swiftly. Whether it is replaced by anything better is a different question entirely...
 
Love the show. Absolutely love it. So "out" of my realm of experience that I find myself, well...lol...enraptured.

Fascinating.
Like Jersey Shore and Moonshiners and Honey Boo Boo (my precious little Alana). And I mean similarly fascinating, not that I equally "like"....etc., etc.,...

When one examines others, and the cultures of others, it is not always easy to leave one's own cultural mores...at the roadside outside the church, so to speak.
And I am as guilty of this at times, as anybody else.

The very hardest and last judgement that I personally struggle to overcome...are the annoyances, nay horrors, done by humans "in the name of" a supreme being in mainstream, and fringe element for that matter, religions in and for the last 2000 years.

First couple of things that come to mind are the burning of all non-christian literature across the ages (like the Alexandrine Library on various occasions), not to mention the subtraction of whole native cultures in central and south america only half a thousand years ago. Just placing the appalachian church people in a greater context.
 
The snakes the preacher was keeping... illegally... and in horrid cramped conditions, have been confiscated and he admitted he plans on breaking the law again in the name of his 'religion'. So he'll probably be arrested soon and the show cancelled.

Several of the snakes were already dead when they were retrieved from his property and he was keeping almost 50 snakes in 3 aquariums.
 
I tried looking this up, because I'm confused... but didn't find many answers.

So what exactly is this snake-handling supposed to do for these church-goers?

And also, if they must do it - whatever IT is - why can't they properly care for the snakes at the same time? Is that not hard? Erm... maybe I have this wrong, but aren't humans supposed to "love all God's creatures", or take of them, or something?

(Sorry, I don't know direct passages from the bible)
 
Unfortunately, it makes it into the news pretty regularly around here in West TN. Usually the snakes are wild-caught copperheads, so they can seize them under the same laws that make it illegal to keep a wild-caught corn snake as a pet. I don't know what the wildlife rehabilitators and zoos quoted as getting the snakes do with them. I can't imagine you can foster out copperheads until a permanent home is found for them!
 
Aozora said:
I refuse to watch the show because it disgusts me how the snakes are exploited and poorly treated, but this was on a local news channel and I thought it relevant:

50 Snakes Siezed From Church

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
I hope they are prosecuted for animal cruelty, but they won't be because it's only reptiles.
NH93 said:
I tried looking this up, because I'm confused... but didn't find many answers.

So what exactly is this snake-handling supposed to do for these church-goers?

And also, if they must do it - whatever IT is - why can't they properly care for the snakes at the same time? Is that not hard? Erm... maybe I have this wrong, but aren't humans supposed to "love all God's creatures", or take of them, or something?

(Sorry, I don't know direct passages from the bible)
Click to expand...

Luke 10:19, goes something like this: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall hurt you." There was one church not too far from these parts that drank strychnine as well as passed around rattlers. I would like to test their faith with a gaboon viper.
 
Might I add, several people have already died by venomous snake bite during this practice. Ironic, since they believe the practice will make them immune to it. The man who had the fifty snakes confiscated from him believes that since it's illegal to possess venomous animals in his state, it goes against his religious freedom. Like Shiari said, he said he does plan on doing it again one way or another. I think it's very upsetting.
 
Although I don't agree with the premise to the practice, I can understand where they get the idea for it and don't really care if they want to pass snakes around and risk getting bitten to prove their standing with God, I just don't get the attitude they have towards the snakes themselves, one of God's own creatures.
Wouldn't bother me a bit if they kept a few for the purpose of their religion and maintainted them in at least the minimum of humane treatment. After all, the Bible itself says that God will bring to ruin those ruining the Earth, which would include those callously contributing to the decimation of their local ecology. But that doesn't seem to bother them a bit.
 
I think... I think maybe this isn't a thing in Canada. I'm not entirely sure, there's not a heck of a lot of info on the web about it (that I can find, anyway). But I have never heard of it until I saw this thread.
Then again, it's not like there's many wild snakes you can catch here, and I think there's only 2 or 3 types of venomous rattlers period ;)
Well... it's an interesting idea, however I think regardless of what you do with the snakes, they need proper care. I think everyone here is agreeing on that in some way or another!
 
They base their literal interpretations in biblical doctrine on Mark 16:18, primarily, among other scripture. This passage is quite known by many.

Mark, chapter 16:16-18 ~ Verse 16: He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Verse 17: And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; Verse 18: They will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” NKJV

Note, this is where the "laying-on of hands" belief in faith-healing harkens back too also. (Also drinking strychnine.) Giving poor innocent, uneducated people hope that the right pair of untrained human hands will cure leprosy, demons, cancer, Alzheimers, polio, ALS, MS, MD, infertility, paralysis, and all manner of things with no present cure.

Note, also, as they have stated quite frankly on the show,...if their Lord commands them (I take it they know when this happens) to take up the copperheads, timber rattlers, and cottonmouths, and they do not do it, they believe they will burn in everlasting hellfire.

Absolutely fascinating.
They believe that everything in their lives and religion is driven by an authority greater, higher, and above human law.
And if you do not believe as they do...well...same fate.
 
I have heard that many of the snakes that are handled by these groups have had their fangs removed so a bite won't be an issue. On top of treating them poorly, they are purposely damaged. Disgusting.
 
Even those church dudes know that "defanging" is a non sequitur, and that fangs are routinely shed and replaced.
 
I actually had a conversation with the preacher in Middlesboro Ky. It was mainly about the keeping of the snakes and trying to keep them in better health. But it was all a waste of time. I guess he took my intention wrong or something.
 
How are the snakes actually being kept? Does anyone know? (I don't know if it's stated in the show because I do not watch it). Do they even get fed or have water?
 
crotalis40741 said:
I actually had a conversation with the preacher in Middlesboro Ky. It was mainly about the keeping of the snakes and trying to keep them in better health. But it was all a waste of time. I guess he took my intention wrong or something.
Click to expand...
Man oh man. I would love to have been in on that conversation. Of course, it goes without saying that the snakes' health and welfare, food and water and housing, would have been my most urgent, immediate concern.

But then, to probe his mind on many and various and sundry topics would have been a psychological smorgasbord.
 
vetusvates said:
Man oh man. I would love to have been in on that conversation. Of course, it goes without saying that the snakes' health and welfare, food and water and housing, would have been my most urgent, immediate concern.

But then, to probe his mind on many and various and sundry topics would have been a psychological smorgasbord.
Click to expand...


Yes the mind, mans ability to believe in something so fully and strongly is amazing.
I was married to a woman who's family is Pentecostal/Holiness and being from mildly to full blown in the beliefs and rituals of their faith.
I saw quite a few things attending their church, her uncle is a preacher as are his sons. The speaking in tongues, the laying of hands and the many different ways the "spirit" manifested itself into the believer. I saw a preacher running on the backs of the seats of the church and the backs of those seats are not that wide. I saw my own granny who can barely get around jumping up and down like a school girl. I also saw a woman who was not allowed near the alter because she wore pants to church.
I however didn't get to see the removal of demons, whoever at first I thought they were gonna try it on me. The one thing they didn't do was handle snakes in church.
Well back to the topic. My talk with the preacher made me realize that the snakes are just a tool to them. Nothing more nothing less. It really saddens me that it shows a bad side of our area here. Most of the folks on the show are not working and living off food stamps and not much else. So the finer things we give our serpents is lacking with them. I asked them about getting captive bred so they would feed and live better. The reply to me was that they don't do as well going to church in the winter time as the wild caught snakes do.
I would have probably have donated mice out of my colonies and what ever help could be given so the snakes faired better. But I guess things like that would have went against southern pride and made for much less interesting television.
I myself am very unsure of my faith, but the last I had heard from most of the folks I know with it. It is all I need to go to a better place, no serpents needed. Besides with my life I would have been bit before I got in the door. lol
 
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