Snake Salvation

[ltwin]

I can’t tell based on the posts above… are those who participate in “Snake Salvation” considered part of the “Body of Christ”?

Where did the term “snake salvation” come from? I’m pretty sure they themselves do not use that term. Most snake-handling churches refer to themselves as “Church of God with signs following.” Serpent-handling is understood as a sign of God’s power and work in fulfillment of that passage in Mark (or wherever it’s located). The snakes don’t save anybody.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

Most don’t get bit. It may surprise people to find out that copperheads and rattlesnakes are not particularly aggressive snakes and can be handled, most only bite when provoked, and often “dry bite” that is don’t inject venom when they bite out of self-preservation.

I suspect this is a reason why you don’t see much religious snake handling in Africa. Try draping a black mamba around your neck and see what happens.

No, thanks!

 

[JHow]

Most don’t get bit. It may surprise people to find out that copperheads and rattlesnakes are not particularly aggressive snakes and can be handled, most only bite when provoked, and often “dry bite” that is don’t inject venom when they bite out of self-preservation.

I suspect this is a reason why you don’t see much religious snake handling in Africa. Try draping a black mamba around your neck and see what happens.

Ah, but what about the dreaded copper-headed-water-rattler?

 

[SextusEmpiricus]

Where did the term “snake salvation” come from? I’m pretty sure they themselves do not use that term. Most snake-handling churches refer to themselves as “Church of God with signs following.” Serpent-handling is understood as a sign of God’s power and work in fulfillment of that passage in Mark (or wherever it’s located). The snakes don’t save anybody.

“Snake Salvation” is the name of the show on NatGeo.

So is it a cult, or is it a “legitimate” Christian church?

 

[Skadi]

“Snake Salvation” is the name of the show on NatGeo.

So is it a cult, or is it a “legitimate” Christian church?

I dont think the two are mutually exclusive. They are Pentecostals, but they do share many of the qualities of a “cult”

 

[ltwin]

I dont think the two are mutually exclusive. They are Pentecostals, but they do share many of the qualities of a “cult”

I’m not sure if they are a “cult.” To me, it seems to be a very, very particular cultural manifestation of Christianity that is relevant to one region and motivated by unbalanced focus of attention and emphasis on one verse of Scripture. Being culturally in tune is not a bad thing, but being Scripturally imbalanced is. Does that make them a cult? Not necessarily. Does it invalidate their Christian testimony? Not necessarily. However, their skewed priorities severely restrict the reach of their Gospel message—not everyone is going to accept snake-handling worship, and for good reasons.

 

[Le_Cracquere]

I listened to a fascinating radio interview with an old gospel singer who barnstormed all around the Upper South and Appalachians as part of a quartet. At one point, he described performing at a Tennessee church where the members starting hauling in crates, and it became pretty clear there was going to be some snake-handling. The bass singer went white as a ghost and muttered to the interviewee: “Where’s the back door in this place?”

“I don’t think they have one.”

The bass looked around again. “Where do you reckon they WANT one?”

 

[Starrsmother]

I listened to a fascinating radio interview with an old gospel singer who barnstormed all around the Upper South and Appalachians as part of a quartet. At one point, he described performing at a Tennessee church where the members starting hauling in crates, and it became pretty clear there was going to be some snake-handling. The bass singer went white as a ghost and muttered to the interviewee: “Where’s the back door in this place?”

“I don’t think they have one.”

The bass looked around again. “Where do you reckon they WANT one?”

 

[JustaServant]

I listened to a fascinating radio interview with an old gospel singer who barnstormed all around the Upper South and Appalachians as part of a quartet. At one point, he described performing at a Tennessee church where the members starting hauling in crates, and it became pretty clear there was going to be some snake-handling. The bass singer went white as a ghost and muttered to the interviewee: “Where’s the back door in this place?”

“I don’t think they have one.”

The bass looked around again. “Where do you reckon they WANT one?”

Heard the same story years ago, only it was an evangelist who was claiming it was HIM.
Cute story, but I suspect its one of those “urban myths” so previlant in fundamentalist churches.
Fundamentalist Urban Myths would be an intesting topic for a new thread.

 

[Le_Cracquere]

Heard the same story years ago, only it was an evangelist who was claiming it was HIM.
Cute story, but I suspect its one of those “urban myths” so previlant in fundamentalist churches.
Fundamentalist Urban Myths would be an intesting topic for a new thread.

That’s a shame to hear, but I can’t really fault the old fellow for adding a bit of color to his tale. As my impeccably Southern mother once told me: “It’s extremely rude to lie … but it’s even ruder to bore your audience!”

 

[JustaServant]

That’s a shame to hear, but I can’t really fault the old fellow for adding a bit of color to his tale. As my impeccably Southern mother once told me: “It’s extremely rude to lie … but it’s even ruder to bore your audience!”

And some of those preachers needed all the help they could get!
I’m going to start a new thread on pulpit urban legends.

 

[Starrsmother]

That’s a shame to hear, but I can’t really fault the old fellow for adding a bit of color to his tale. As my impeccably Southern mother once told me: “It’s extremely rude to lie … but it’s even ruder to bore your audience!”

Whomever it was, if it had been me there would have definitely been a new back door when they brought out the snakes!

 

[Georgia]

Whomever it was, if it had been me there would have definitely been a new back door when they brought out the snakes!

The man who told the story was the late Wendy Bagwell. Search Google for Wendy Bagwell and snake story and you will find several links.