Snake salvation on NG

[Chicken bones]

Holy snakes! This series is fascinating. On the episode i started on, Cody, the young preacher with a wife and toddler, lies to his wife that they come before his snake handling. Lovely. Then he goes off on a snake hunt and gets bitten twice by a cottonmouth and refuses to seek medical help. ( of course he made it through, or it might not have made it on TV...)

 

I am interested to see more of this show. Personally, I think these folks are whackadoodles, but I feel that way about most fundamentalists.

[Mango]

The way these people treat snakes is HORRIBLE. :( In the first episode, they were all "Oh yeah, most of these snakes only last a month or two in captivity" (presumably they're not adapting to a captive diet?) and.. yeah. Reptiles aren't cute and cuddly to most people, but they ARE native wildlife and their populations should be protected from assholes like this!

[Chicken bones]

Agreed. It was disturbing to see how many snake boxes they had in their shed that the women had to care for, while the men were off hunting more.

(It also sickens me the many shows on TV, the survival "instruction" or challenge type shows particularly, that kill animals for entertainment, to further the course of the show.)

[Mecca]

This show infuriates me. They are taking wildlife out of their natural habitats and killing them.

[Cannelle]

I hate snakes. HATE them. It's a genuine phobia, stemming from years of nightmares that had to do with my emotionally abusive ex. From an academic standpoint, I actually think snakes are pretty fascinating, but I have a hard time with them in reality. (That said, I would never, ever harm one, A., because I couldn't actually get that close, lol, and B., because they're living creatures that deserve respect and care.) So it takes a LOT for me to root for snakes...but in the case of this show, I'm rooting for the snakes all the way. I hate how these people treat them. :(

[Buzzard]

Holy snakes! This series is fascinating. On the episode i started on, Cody, the young preacher with a wife and toddler, lies to his wife that they come before his snake handling. Lovely. Then he goes off on a snake hunt and gets bitten twice by a cottonmouth and refuses to seek medical help. ( of course he made it through, or it might not have made it on TV...)

I am interested to see more of this show. Personally, I think these folks are whackadoodles, but I feel that way about most fundamentalists.

I cant stand snakes, they scare the fuck out of me! I have to say, though, when it comes to this show I'm morbidly fascinated and want the snakes to bite the shit out of these people. I feel HORRIBLE for that albino whatever. They went on and on about how rare it is, and all I could think was that it wouldnt live to when the show aired. They should be prosecuted for animal cruelty (but they wont because snakes are omitted in most statutes).

Whats up with the unemployed pastor with 5 little kids??? Oh yeah, god will provide... if you dont die from a snake bite...

[Chicken bones]

I kept yelling at Cody's young wife to run! Cody whined how she just "don't understand" about how important the snake handling is it him, but never takes in account that he outright on camera lied to her that she and their daughter come first with him. He and his father have a vow that they won't seek medical help if they are bitten, hence the lovely scenes of him moaning and yelling. I don't know that I see that marriage working out too well, but as we see with other funnies, probably the more kids that come along the more the wife will feel helpless to leave.

I really don't know much about the history of this type of belief, except the bible verse they cite. What a bizarre thing to begin to practice. Their flame handling in the same space as the snake is disturbing as well. These small wooden churches and people all dancing and moving around with snakes and flames and children in the mix!

[Buzzard]

Mark 16:

9 When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

12 Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13 These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

14 Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.â€

19 After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20 Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

It only says that if you drink deadly things it wont hurt you, doesnt say the snakes wont bite! I'm waiting for them to drink some drain cleaner.

It seems like they've taken the commandment out of context. It commands to go and preach the gospel and baptize. The "signs" they are interpreting as "commandments" (they've said many times that if they dont handle snakes they'll die and go to hell) are more like promises of protection. Like, if you walk through a field to go spread the word you can pick up the snakes and if someone poisons you it wont cause harm... not TAKE UP SNAKES TO PROOOOVE YOU LUV ME!!!!!

I know you're shocked. Yet another church not reading above and below what they've picked out.

[anniebgood]

After reading about the ordeal my friends son just went through in AZ after being bit by a western rattlesnake while riding his bike along railroad tracks, I think these people are taking things way out of context. AJ had to have 15 doses of anti venom and was in ICU for 3 days. He has to have blood work every other day to check levels. The guy who got bit was extremely lucky.

I'd rather watch reruns of Trauma:Life in the ER.