Snake Salvation Late Pastor's Son Bitten by Rattlesnake

[Tootsie McSassafrass]

Cody, son of the late Jamie Coots, took over as pastor following the death of his father. Normal for this religious sect. The transference of Pastoral authority from one male in the family to the other.

 

www.tennessean.com/story/news/2014/05/2 ... e/9647005/

 

Warning: If religious chanting or praying in tongues isn't your cup of tea, mute the video above the article before reading.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Stupid. If you don't want to get bitten by venomous snakes, don't handle them then! Holding a rattlesnake is just asking to die from snake bite.

And awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww poor cute little snakey, bet he tasted terrible. I love snakes.

[doggie]

the stupid apple does not fall far from the tree. Really get some snakes that really are gods best like a black mamba the church will meet jesus far sooner.

[Geechee Girl]

Oh, boy. That video brings back memories of when I attended those types of churches with my extended family. Those services would go on for hours and hours once they "caught the Spirit." I have a soft spot for snakes, and no way would I be tempting fate now by shouting with them in such a manner.

[Tootsie McSassafrass]

I've had a not so new intrigue into the world of Pentecostal snake handling. I relocated further South a few years ago and I wanted to know about the history & culture to my new normal as a transplant. I became beyond fascinated with this Culture. I read 'Salvation on Sand Mountain' the summer before relocating (a no-no book & insult to snake handlers) and HAD to know more.

Being a lover of knowledge & curiousity on various religions/sects/cults, and being raised pentecostal from the age of 3 to 12ish, I checkout every book my library had on this interesting phenomenon. Snake Salvation was very interesting to me.

Oh, boy. That video brings back memories of when I attended those types of churches with my extended family. Those services would go on for hours and hours once they "caught the Spirit." I have a soft spot for snakes, and no way would I be tempting fate now by shouting with them in such a manner.

Oh, I'm sure you have some interesting stories to tell!

[nelliebelle1197]

I've had a not so new intrigue into the world of Pentecostal snake handling. I relocated further South a few years ago and I wanted to know about the history & culture to my new normal as a transplant. I became beyond fascinated with this Culture. I read 'Salvation on Sand Mountain' the summer before relocating (a no-no book & insult to snake handlers) and HAD to know more.

Being a lover of knowledge & curiousity on various religions/sects/cults, and being raised pentecostal from the age of 3 to 12ish, I checkout every book my library had on this interesting phenomenon. Snake Salvation was very interesting to me.

Oh, I'm sure you have some interesting stories to tell!

How big was your mamma's bouffant?

[precious_one]

Yet again, another person to make us Kentuckians out to be uneducated hicks. I am a proud Kentuckian and these idiots are NOT representative of the majority of Christians in the state. Now we do have many Pentecostal or Spirit filled churches (a local name we use) population but they do not snake handle. Yes, all of the Pentecostals women here wear long skirts and bouffant hair dos!!

[bumblebee]

I've read a little about the practice and I don't get it for a huge amount of reasons, but isn't snake handling trying to test the lord? Which you shouldn't do, right? And then there's using your God given reasoning and common sense skills, obviously. :roll:

[Mecca]

I've had a not so new intrigue into the world of Pentecostal snake handling. I relocated further South a few years ago and I wanted to know about the history & culture to my new normal as a transplant. I became beyond fascinated with this Culture. I read 'Salvation on Sand Mountain' the summer before relocating (a no-no book & insult to snake handlers) and HAD to know more.

Being a lover of knowledge & curiousity on various religions/sects/cults, and being raised pentecostal from the age of 3 to 12ish, I checkout every book my library had on this interesting phenomenon. Snake Salvation was very interesting to me.

If you love reading about that subject, check out Dr. Ralph Hood. He is a professor at UTC and has numerous articles and books about this very thing. He has a few articles about the Coots family.

Little Cody Coots will go out just like his dad. And you know what angers me about that? The fact they keep the wives in the home, uneducated, and no options, yet they continue to do a dangerous activity that will put their families at a great disadvantage in life when they do die. Frankly, these people are dumbasses. Cody's wife has made it known how much she hates this practice, but he keeps on trucking because that is what God wants him to do. What an awesome deity, eh? I feel sympathy for the snakes, some of the women, and children raised in this nonsense, not so much for Hamblin and Coots.

[Geechee Girl]

I've read a little about the practice and I don't get it for a huge amount of reasons, but isn't snake handling trying to test the lord? Which you shouldn't do, right? And then there's using your God given reasoning and common sense skills, obviously. :roll:

I can't speak for the general population of snake handlers, but I was raised to believe it is not about testing the Lord, at all. Snake shouting is a celebration of the Almighty. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is powerful, making the impossible possible. The believers are shielded by a spiritual armor. It is also a manifestation of spiritual gifts, much like the gift of tongues(not speaking in tongues) and healing.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Even the snake knows this is bullshit.

[stonefruit]

Look, I certainly hope this young man heals up quickly, and I'm sorry his father died, but come on: this is hilarious. Oh, you were handling snakes? And you got bitten? YOU DON'T SAY.

[Rita]

I can't speak for the general population of snake handlers, but I was raised to believe it is not about testing the Lord, at all. Snake shouting is a celebration of the Almighty. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is powerful, making the impossible possible. The believers are shielded by a spiritual armor. It is also a manifestation of spiritual gifts, much like the gift of tongues(not speaking in tongues) and healing.

About the armour - I saw a car tonight with GDS ARMR plates. How is a car armour fit for a god? Or is it that God gave you the car as armour? How is that befitting of a holy figure, getting you a metal coat in the fight against Satin. Or have I been on FJ too much and the plates mean something else?

[jjmennonite]

Yet again, another person to make us Kentuckians out to be uneducated hicks. I am a proud Kentuckian and these idiots are NOT representative of the majority of Christians in the state. Now we do have many Pentecostal or Spirit filled churches (a local name we use) population but they do not snake handle. Yes, all of the Pentecostals women here wear long skirts and bouffant hair dos!!

Are you a loyal Pentecostal? If so, would you be able to tell me how snake handling is any different than speaking in tongues, other than the safety factor?

From my childhood, and reinforced by many encounters with the relatives, this is how I understand it. Christians are better than everyone else (after all, it is the right way, and any other way will lead to hell - of course there are many variations of the right way, so God will have to have a lot of seperate rooms in heaven, so you can't see each other). Spirit filled Christians are a notch above the rest, as they have been 'filled with the spirit' which is a higher level of being saved.

Speaking in tongues appears to me a lot like snake handling, only safer. Cherry pick the bible and go for it. I used to be spirit filled, and I have been saved, and I have petted a few boas.

I recall no bouffant hair dos on our Pentacostal churches. No snakes, either.

[FloraKitty35]

Snake: 2

Moron(s) 0

[Mama Mia]

I can't speak for the general population of snake handlers, but I was raised to believe it is not about testing the Lord, at all. Snake shouting is a celebration of the Almighty. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is powerful, making the impossible possible. The believers are shielded by a spiritual armor. It is also a manifestation of spiritual gifts, much like the gift of tongues(not speaking in tongues) and healing.

Would you mind explaining what the difference is between ' the gift of tongues' and 'speaking in tongues' ? I've never heard the phrase the gift of tongues before. Thanks!

[Marianne]

Uuuuuuuuuuuurg, snake. We have them who enters in our flat. Like, big snake http://www.swissworld.org/typo3temp/pics/40b68c3c10.jpg . I really don't know what to do when they are here, except crying. Plus, they seem to be so smart that I can barely move when I see them.

[Geechee Girl]

Would you mind explaining what the difference is between ' the gift of tongues' and 'speaking in tongues' ? I've never heard the phrase the gift of tongues before. Thanks!

I will try, though I'm very rusty on my Biblical knowledge. The "gift of tongues" is one of many spiritual gifts bestowed upon members of the body of Christ to carry out the Lord's work here on earth. I was taught the "gift of tongues" would:

1. allow instant instant understanding of foreign language with intervention from the Holy Spirit between the parties,

or

2. the Holy Spirit would facilitate quick & easy foreign language-learning giver the bearer a gift of languages.

1 Corinthians 12

New International Version (NIV)

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,†and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,†except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

OTOH, "speaking in tongues" is the incomprehensible speech commonly seen & heard in some churches. I can't speak to the veracity or sincerity of those who do it. No disrespect is intended to those here who do.

My teachings cautioned that spiritual gifts are to be used for good and to bring to Christ by doing His work. Spiritual gifts are open to all, and only Spirit decides who gets what.

I explained it to Miss GG that it's like X-Men. We become changed by the power of the Holy Spirit when He manipulate our DNA. It's up to us to use our new mutant traits for the betterment of the world, and not for our own gain. To befuddle and deceive the masses with our power is wrong and dishonorable.

[Tootsie McSassafrass]

[Tootsie McSassafrass]

If you love reading about that subject, check out Dr. Ralph Hood. He is a professor at UTC and has numerous articles and books about this very thing. He has a few articles about the Coots family.

Little Cody Coots will go out just like his dad. And you know what angers me about that? The fact they keep the wives in the home, uneducated, and no options, yet they continue to do a dangerous activity that will put their families at a great disadvantage in life when they do die. Frankly, these people are dumbasses. Cody's wife has made it known how much she hates this practice, but he keeps on trucking because that is what God wants him to do. What an awesome deity, eh? I feel sympathy for the snakes, some of the women, and children raised in this nonsense, not so much for Hamblin and Coots.

Mecca, I've heard of Dr. Ralph Hood. I've just not been able to get my hands on any of his article as of yet. they aren't available at my library yet and I'd rather not buy. I will look into him more though, thanks for the info! :)

[Luisainlondon1]

If I didn't know better, I'd say their sermons look like parties… they get high on the excitement instead of taking drugs or drinking alcohol. But in the end there's hardly a difference: they participate in their sermons, while other people forget their problems while partying.