Quote:
Originally Posted by HeavenlyOne
Their line of thinking is no different than that of the snake handlers, who believe that if they are bitten, they won't die, and if they do, it's because their faith was lacking.
Stupidity in purest form.
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EXACTAMUNDO! I remember decaders ago when I was in College, watching a McGraw Hill film called "Holy Ghost People" about the Snake Handlers there in Appalachia. They were mostly Jesus Name People, obviously Holy Ghost filled. The beginning of the film was interviews with various members of the sect, and they would be there on the couch talking about how they were baptized in the Holy Ghost and genuinely (in my estimation to avoid any further argument) were filled with the Holy Ghost and would break into praise and tongues during their various interviews.
Then the film cuts to the service where they are all singing and dancing and praising God. Sweet unlearned people in the moutnains... but then the Pastor comes on and from the pulpit he is explaing the REASONING and the FAITH that he feels is manifest in obeying (in his opinion) this "command" they SHALL take up serpents.." And in all of his speech, it becomes immediately obvious that of them all he is the most educated, speaking NOT with the vocabulary of a poor appalachian coal miner, but rather one who has the benefit of a higher education, undoubtedly college somewhere and a broad exposure to critical thought. As he is going on they are still singing and then they bring out the little boxes with the copper heads and rattlers in them. And you see all these simple men and women, Holy Gost FILLED men and women, waiting to take THEIR cue from their leader and who in their IGNORANCE are following the example and encouragement of that LEADER! I am sitting there in the hall watchng this so deeply grieved in the Holy Gost thinking "You know Lord if ANYONE in that service gets bit by the snake I hope its that LEADER! he must know better!
And sure enough WHAMMO! In a close up the snake is handed to the pastor, he holds it it is climbing up his arm, and STRIKE! It bites him sinks its fangs right IN! The camera continues as the service breaks up, the pastors arm is all swollen and they are getting ready to take him out. As the film ends the pastor obviously worried and in pain is going on about how this will not deter him, this is just a trial of his faith, etc etc etc....fade to black.
That IS exactly the kind of outcome of this Trust the Lord doctrine, FADE TO BLACK! If you asked any of the snake handlers about what you had just witnessed how it brought any glory to God the answer would be IDENTICAL to what we have read on this thread! "It brought God glory because even though my pastor got bitten by the snake and his arm is swelling and may either have to be amputated or he will die, at least his FAITH never wavered and he held on all the way!" (To error)
Thank God for the chance to speak up against this! Had the man been in the wilderness and bitten by a snake and no way to get medical attention I DO believe that God would have healed him. HOWEVER to deliberateley take UP that snake is tempting God not trusting him. And when you discover in your body some malady that calls for medical attention and you choose instead to deliberately TAKE UP that sickness or condition and REFUSE medical attention that would bring healing and relief, you deserve the outcome of such a poor decision. It is NOT great faith, it is GREAT error! And as you can see by the people under discussion here it ends in DEATH.
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