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#Post#: 7719--------------------------------------------------
Death by Snakes
DIR By: coldwar
Date: June 10, 2014, 7:56 am
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Many deaths have been reported among snake handling churches:
HTML http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snake_handling
There are many more long articles on the 'net concerning this
practice, and now even a reality TV show about it... Are these
people tempting God?
#Post#: 7723--------------------------------------------------
Re: Death by Snakes
DIR By: Brad
Date: June 10, 2014, 11:31 am
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Of course they are. Being bitten by one by accident and
surviving a deadly bite is one thing, but the apostles didnt
show off by playing with them to impress others with their
faith.
#Post#: 7733--------------------------------------------------
Re: Death by Snakes
DIR By: Runner
Date: June 10, 2014, 9:48 pm
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Agree Brad...Romans tells us that faith comes by hearing...I
don't for one moment believe that God spoke that to them. God
doesn't need snake charmers fooling around to show " their" own
self-righteousness by handling snakes!! Those people are after
there own glory, not God's.
Pride comes before a fall...sadly, for some of them.
#Post#: 7740--------------------------------------------------
Re: Death by Snakes
DIR By: James
Date: June 11, 2014, 3:43 am
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I wonder how people can be so stupid.
How can they square the Gospels with such an outlandish idea,
yet they do.
What I find odd in the extreme is that once people, noticeable
the leaders, start to die from the snakes bite that the rest of
the"believers" do not stop believing.
How well does the old serpent transform himself into the Angel
of light.
#Post#: 7746--------------------------------------------------
Re: Death by Snakes
DIR By: coldwar
Date: June 11, 2014, 7:02 am
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... and how stupefying are the effects of religion.
The Bible reading about picking up snakes and drinking poison,
if it even really exists at all, could have a deeper meaning. It
could be that with the Spirit of Christ in our lives, we can
work and live alongside pure evil people and they cannot harm
us, or "take in" evil words and ultimately not fall because of
them.
#Post#: 7748--------------------------------------------------
Re: Death by Snakes
DIR By: James
Date: June 11, 2014, 8:35 am
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Amen! That almost goes without saying, for good can not be
overcome of evil.
#Post#: 7754--------------------------------------------------
Re: Death by Snakes
DIR By: Leaf
Date: June 11, 2014, 2:11 pm
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--- Quote ---
> The Bible reading about picking up snakes and drinking poison,
if it even really exists at all, could have a deeper meaning. It
could be that with the Spirit of Christ in our lives, we can
work and live alongside pure evil people and they cannot harm
us, or "take in" evil words and ultimately not fall because of
them.
--- End Quote ---
I agree.
I like the deeper meanings. Yet, I came across a literal meaning
several months back while studying Psalm 91 and I read that the
word 'drink' could mean: 'anything taken inside you'. I found
that to be comforting when considering the manufacturing of our
food, quality of air and water, all the chemicals that surround
us and etc.
Thank you, Lord for all of your promises.
#Post#: 7755--------------------------------------------------
Re: Death by Snakes
DIR By: Leaf
Date: June 11, 2014, 2:18 pm
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--- Quote ---
> I wonder how people can be so stupid.
>
> How can they square the Gospels with such an outlandish idea,
yet they do.
>
> What I find odd in the extreme is that once people, noticeable
the leaders, start to die from the snakes bite that the rest of
the"believers" do not stop believing.
>
> How well does the old serpent transform himself into the Angel
of light.
--- End Quote ---
Hi James :)
It's nearly unbelievable what people will come up with.
Ah, well... other than the instruction to believe in Him who God
has sent (John 6:29 ), we merely need to love them who believe
these outlandish, to us, things. Maybe that is why the snakes
are handled? It is easier than loving one another as Christ
instructed?
Maybe? Could be? I don't know.
#Post#: 7756--------------------------------------------------
Re: Death by Snakes
DIR By: Kerry
Date: June 11, 2014, 2:55 pm
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--- Quote from: Leaf link ---
>
> I agree.
>
> I like the deeper meanings. Yet, I came across a literal
meaning several months back while studying Psalm 91 and I read
that the word 'drink' could mean: 'anything taken inside you'. I
found that to be comforting when considering the manufacturing
of our food, quality of air and water, all the chemicals that
surround us and etc.
>
> Thank you, Lord for all of your promises.
>
>
--- End Quote ---
That is similar to something Holy Brother said once. He did not
think the "forbidden fruit" was something Adam and Eve ate with
their physical mouths, but rather a form of consciousness that
had been "out there" until they brought it inside them.
Interestingly enough, Mark 16:18 is not in all the oldest
manuscripts. It may have been added by a later hand. I still
like it however. I read it to mean the followers of Jesus
would be reversing the fall from Eden.
Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents;
More important to pick up the spiritual serpent without harm
than some physical serpent.
and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;
This tells me that the fruit of the Knowledge of the Tree of
Good and Evil will not harm those who follow Jesus.
they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
While I have no doubt God can heal physical ailments if that be
His Will, I read this spiritually also. The spiritually sick
will recover.
There are some who say all followers of Jesus must handle
physical serpents since the text says, "they shall take up
serpents." But I ask them then why they don't go into a
hospital and heal everyone in the place? The text "promises"
that they "shall recover." IF they're going to take the first
part literally in a physical way, why not the last part too?
#Post#: 7757--------------------------------------------------
Re: Death by Snakes
DIR By: Kerry
Date: June 11, 2014, 3:00 pm
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--- Quote from: James link ---
>
> I wonder how people can be so stupid.
>
> How can they square the Gospels with such an outlandish idea,
yet they do.
>
> What I find odd in the extreme is that once people, noticeable
the leaders, start to die from the snakes bite that the rest of
the"believers" do not stop believing.
>
> How well does the old serpent transform himself into the Angel
of light.
>
--- End Quote ---
The man who made this popular died himself of a snake bite.
George Went Hensley
HTML http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Went_Hensley
was a colorful
character. He was very much a drunk and was arrested on
moonshine charges in Tennessee during Prohibition. Married
four times, divorced three times. His life would make a
great movie.
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