Snake Handling Easter Service in WSJ
 

This year's Easter service at the Tabernacle Church of God in La Follette, Tenn., will include many of the holiday's traditional rituals, like Holy Communion and footwashing. There will also be some startling novelties.

"It will be filled with shouting, dancing, speaking in tongues, serpent handling and fire handling," said its 21-year-old pastor, Andrew Hamblin. "We'll celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ with a good old time."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...LEFTTopStories

Re: Snake Handling Easter Service in WSJ
 

These guys are using Facebook to attract new Snake Handling believers.

"Since he opened its doors last fall, Mr. Hamblin's small Pentecostal church, 39 miles north of Knoxville, has grown to almost 50 members, most of them in their 20s. Part of his strategy for expansion has been to use Facebook to publicize the daredevil spiritual exploits of his congregation."

Re: Snake Handling Easter Service in WSJ
 

Thrillseekers?

:lol

I can think of a thousand other things to do.

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Good grief.

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They believe the words of Jesus. I can't fault them for that.

IMO, the anointing that they are feeling is an adrenaline rush. When I take up a rattler, I'll let you know if it's either/or.

Re: Snake Handling Easter Service in WSJ
 

Well, we can be thankful that the bible has no passages that say "And no fall from a great will harm you!" otherwise we would have apostolic cliff divers jumping onto asphalt parking lots.

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Really wishing these guys weren't called "Pentecostal" and that they weren't from Tennessee!:foottap

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It's not just Tennessee. There's a show on Discovery Channel, "Snake Man of Appalachia," featuring a family in rural eastern Kentucky who practice the same thing. It must be a regional practice.

Very interesting...

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Been to a few snake handling churches but they did not handle any in the services we were in ...good people just misguided....

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I believe that. But then that's true about most people I know - even some non-Christians...

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Put a snake in front of me, and you're going to see a sad sight. A 6'1, 330 pound man running like the devil's behind him.

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I'll kill the snake first, then run from the people.

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:foottap

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I have been in two snakehandling services anf they were handling them the nites I was there.

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I can't verify this, but...

I have heard being in close proximity to rattlers can stunt a person's growth. :highfive

Re: Snake Handling Easter Service in WSJ
 

I have heard that a close association with said serpents could stunt a person's progress into old age. For all of that I still want to be in one of those church services. If only we had them in Illinois.

Re: Snake Handling Easter Service in WSJ
 

I have handled snakes all my life. if you don't squeeze them or pinch them or grabbed them too hard they won't bite you.

This is not anything supernatural. When we were down in Texas catching rattle snakes for fun we were not in the spirit even though the spirit dwelt in us, at least I think the Lord stayed in us when we picked up one of those six foot long rattlers as big around as a mans arm.!!

Another thing, if a snake is cold or chilled it won't bite, but if you grab one that has been laying in the sun then you will get a test of faith.. you better have a lot of it...

What I want to see is someone walking on water. Jesus said; he that believes in me the things I do he will do also and even greater things than these shall he do!!!

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Speechless!

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I was born and raised in LaFollette, TN. There are many, yes many, snake handling churches in East TN, Southeast KY, northern Ga, and Western NC, just to name a few places. The majority of these churches are Oneness churches, but this church is a Trinitarian Independent church.

It does call itself Church of God, but in those mountains, church of god is generic, not a denomination. Just like tons say baptist on the sign, but could be united baptist, general baptist, southern baptist, or independent.

The majority of snake handling churches only handle on special services, like homecoming, Revival, Easter, etc.... typically not every service. They also drink strictnine (sp?).

And some of theses churches surprisingly aren't very small. I can take you to a couple in the Knoxville area that run almost 300, big brick church with a family life center out back, etc. Business people, educated folk attend there... and they still handle snakes.

I personally don't believe it's an admonish to do it in scriptures, but I will say they have greater faith than I do to do it.

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I don't think it's faith at all. Genuine faith comes from God Himself, not someone conjuring up the nerve to do something at will.

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Well, I guess what I'm saying is that it's not how I interpret Scriptures, but I have no issue with them doing this practice in their worship services. But, part of that might also be culture. I was raised Baptist, but everyone grew up knowing there were Snake Handling churches up in the hills around town, and if you didn't know someone who attended one of those churches, you knew someone related to someone who did. So it never seemed as foreign and strange to us since it was something we knew was close by.

I think they are sincerely wrong in their interpretation of scripture, but I won't knock them for their expression of their walk with God.

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Well ok, we should be cordial, yes, but I have serious issue with it. Like I do with praying to the saints, defication of Mary, and the Book of Mormon.

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This thread reminded me of the old Wendy Bagwell....
Rattlesnake Story! :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wne0Q3ZnjU

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Having known some of these folks, it can turn into idolatry really fast for some. There are some that the act, and sensationalism of the snake handling becomes more important than the Lord and living for the Lord. That's why one of the old timers told me, that many of the churches went to only handling the snakes on special occasions.... so that the people didn't get fixed on the snakes.

For those that I have met that do this in balance, and it's only one small aspect of their expression of their faith, I have much less issue than the ones that turn it into idolatry.

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I think they are nuts.

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There are very few qualified to directly handle snakes..... And even among them, accidents happen -eventually!

http://www.freakingnews.com/pictures...nake-23027.jpg

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Atleast they don't pick and choose they do it all...lol unlike other Pentecostals that just "Speak in Tongues" and run to that verse...I use that portion alot when someone confronts me about "speaking in tongues since I believe" and I say do you handle snakes since (you believe....)

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Actually, that scripture is not a good reference to show all should speak in tongues. It simply shows the believers in Christ would have these things happen. Paul shook off a snake without being harmed and spoke in tongues. Nough said.

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O I know thats what I am getting at..lol you got those that do things halfway and the ones that do it all the way..

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1 corinthians 10:9

Neither let us make trial of the Lord, as some of them made trial, and perished by the serpents.

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With all due respect, to take this Scripture and apply it to Snake Handling per se is really proof texting the letter from Paul to the Corinthians. When Paul was writing to the church in Corinth, the 10th Chapter was dealing with wavoring believers. In the 9th verse, the word "tempt" or "test" that translations use is coming from the Greek Word ekpeirazō, which means to prove God thoroughly. Though that verse by itself, could support the theory being used here that it applies to those that might handle serpents in Worship, we then have the responsibility to fit the text within the rest of the chapter.

The overall chapter is likening our current strivings and wanderings with the children of Israel. And in light of that, Paul warns us against tempting Christ (as some of them tempted, and were destroyed of serpents, v. 9), or provoking him to jealousy, v. 22. He was with the children of Israel in the wilderness; he was the angel of the covenant, who went before them.

But he was greatly grieved and provoked by them in many ways: They spoke against him and Moses, Wherefore have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for which reason God sent fiery serpents among them (Num. 21:5, 6), by which many of them were stung mortally. And it is but just to fear that such as tempt Christ under the present dispensation will be left by him in the power of the old serpent.

I think to apply this one verse to modern day Serpent Handlers as a whole is a broad brush that the text won't support, but could individually if their motive is to truly test, or doubt God's promises.

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I have heard that is those who do not believe, yet attempt to handle the serpents that have trouble. I have known a lady who once had a bit of tea with bleach in it. The restaurant where she was dining had gotten sloppy. No harm came of this incident. I am not a believer in the belief that one should speak in tongues everyday, but should be experienced with more regularity.

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I hold snake handling in high regard, right up there with foot washing for me.

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There is absolutely nothing about the practice that could called BALANCE.

Anyone who practices snake handling or poison drinking is so far removed from anything the bible would call balanced.

Anyone who practices this or is intrigued by this is unbalanced, to say the least.

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I would agree - that is why I equate it to honoring the book of Mormon, and praying to dead saints.

I am not saying that God may not protect them in their foolishness (cause he has done that for me before).

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Jesus said it, they believe it. What is the problem?

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It's a false faith. Jesus also Instructed his disciples to raise the dead. Does that mean we are called to shut down the funeral homes and stop burying people?

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"Pentecost Xtreme!"

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I like the idea!!!! I don't know why some end up there in the first place/

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How is it a false faith? Jesus said it, they believe it.