Apocalypse Soon > Religions, Cults & Sects
Snake-handling Pentecostal Pastor dies from rattlesnake bite
Jake:
A pastor who believed Christians must handle rattlesnakes as a sign of their faith has died – after suffering a rattlesnake bite at an outdoor service in Bluefield, West Virginia.
Mack Wolford, who was 44, based his belief on Mark 16:17-18, which says: "And these signs will follow those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Wolford was well-known in his region of the US on account of his snake-handling, an archaic Pentecostal practice that he continued to enthusiastically promote, despite watching his own father die from a rattlesnake bite when he was just 15.
Appealing for followers to join him at what would be his final service last Sunday, Wolford promised an inspiring day out in the West Virginia countryside. "I am looking for a great time this Sunday," he wrote on his Facebook page. "It is going to be a homecoming like the old days. Good ’ole raised in the holler or mountain ridge running, Holy Ghost-filled speaking-in-tongues sign believers. Praise the Lord and pass the rattlesnakes, brother."
Full story here; seen on New Humanist.
Nina:
buahahaha :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
there goes his reptile faith
jordyn:
...Or it was a lesson that reptiles don't prove faith, the person's heart does. *shrugs
Maybe they need to redefine what a serpent means in the bible rather than assuming the only serpents are poisonous snakes? Either way snake handling may be proving their faith, but gives no glory to God. They should be celebrating Him, not reptiles that look best in a tank on my shelf.
Jake:
--- Quote from: jordyn on June 30, 2012, 04:02:38 AM ---...Or it was a lesson that reptiles don't prove faith, the person's heart does. *shrugs
--- End quote ---
So the "word of God" reported in Mark 16:17-18 are lies? God told his believers that it was okay to handle snakes, but he was actually lying, and wanted them to pick up snakes, get bitten, and die an agonizing death prolonged over several hours, to teach them that "reptiles don't prove faith, the person's heart does"?
Why would the author of the Bible, who is supposed to be God, who is supposed to love us all, deliberately lie, knowing it would lead to agonizing death for people who really, really believed in him?
The reason is because God is imaginary. "God" had nothing to do with the Bible. The Bible was written by primitive men, many of whom were obviously insane.
Nina:
--- Quote ---Why would the author of the Bible, who is supposed to be God, who is supposed to love us all, deliberately lie, knowing it would lead to agonizing death for people who really, really believed in him?
--- End quote ---
Indeed why? Maybe it wasn't God that wrote it?
I mean, Baudelaire wrote a lot of nice stuff on opium and hashish, maybe it was God too? :D
ps: thank God for free wi-fi spots xd
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