# Extreme Worship: "Preacher" dies following snakebi



## Fly Caster (Apr 15, 2004)

Here's a little news event from a neighboring county:

[i:091e1aa4c0]A Lee County preacher demonstrating his faith by handling a rattlesnake in church - an illegal act practiced by some Pentecostal congregations in Appalachia - has died after the snake bit him.

&quot;I guess it caught him by surprise,&quot; said Alfred Taylor, a member of Arthur's Chapel in Rose Hill, where the Rev. Dwayne Long, 45, was bitten during an Easter service.

Long, whose father was also a snake-handling preacher for more than 30 years, died at his home Monday after refusing medical treatment.

[/i:091e1aa4c0]

News Article


----------



## Bladestunner316 (Apr 15, 2004)




----------



## JonathonHunt (Apr 15, 2004)

Those who live by the snake...


----------



## pastorway (Apr 15, 2004)

I guess his theology came back to bite him in the end.......


:naughty:


----------



## Bladestunner316 (Apr 15, 2004)

So his theology was the serpent then eh


----------



## Ex-Baptist (Apr 15, 2004)

LOL PastorWay!!!!


----------



## calgal (Apr 16, 2004)




----------



## Bladestunner316 (Apr 16, 2004)

We should write a book about this 

&quot;The theology of the snake: the spread of post modern christian mysticism&quot; 


:readit:


----------



## A.J.A. (Apr 16, 2004)

Are snake handlers allowed to be bartenders?


----------



## Bladestunner316 (Apr 16, 2004)




----------



## A.J.A. (Apr 16, 2004)

[img:aa052871fc]http://www.publispain.com/simpsons/imagenes/bar_moe.gif[/img:aa052871fc]

Heya, why is that funny? When I catch you kid...


----------



## Fly Caster (Apr 16, 2004)

Although its a little pricey, [i:155303e8c2]Serpent Handling Believers[/i:155303e8c2] by Thomas Burton (University of Tennessee Press) is an intriguing look at the history and practice of this movement. This stuff has always interested me. As a small kid I was in some mountain churches that got pretty wild, but I never saw anything qite like this.


[img:155303e8c2]http://a1055.g.akamai.net/f/1055/1401/5h/images.barnesandnoble.com/images/1630000/1633176.gif[/img:155303e8c2]


----------



## CCWoody (Apr 16, 2004)

[quote:ace398f5db][i:ace398f5db]Originally posted by Fly Caster[/i:ace398f5db]
Here's a little news event from a neighboring county:

[/quote:ace398f5db]

Despite the fact that I am forced to attend church in a Pelagian sea and despite the fact a sizable chunk of my congregation is comprised of former Pentecostals, I can say that I have never had the experience of any kind of snake handling outside of the &quot;Rattlesnake Roundup.&quot;

Though, we did have a rumor 2 years ago of a church in my area was handling snakes. When I investigated, it turned out that it was a petting zoo or a sumer Bible camp for kids that had the Independent Baptists all riled up.

So, it turned out to be nothing more than...
garden variety Arminians handling
garden variety snakes
and not quite the scandal it had been advertised to be.


----------



## wsw201 (Apr 16, 2004)

I wonder what the congregation thinks about their Pastors eternal destination? Since he didn't have &quot;enough faith&quot; and died from the snake bite did he go to heaven or hell?


----------



## wsw201 (Apr 16, 2004)

[quote:38c6bc5cf8][i:38c6bc5cf8]Originally posted by joshua[/i:38c6bc5cf8]
[quote:38c6bc5cf8][i:38c6bc5cf8]Originally posted by wsw201[/i:38c6bc5cf8]
I wonder what the congregation thinks about their Pastors eternal destination? Since he didn't have &quot;enough faith&quot; and died from the snake bite did he go to heaven or hell? [/quote:38c6bc5cf8]

Well, Wayne, they were probably so disillusioned by his death that they took up a belief in purgatory. Therefore, they believe he is there and they shall pray and buy him out. [/quote:38c6bc5cf8]


----------



## A.J.A. (Apr 16, 2004)

*Hey Woody*

How's it been?


----------



## CCWoody (Apr 16, 2004)

[quote:bcffac7ceb][i:bcffac7ceb]Originally posted by A.J.A.[/i:bcffac7ceb]
How's it been? [/quote:bcffac7ceb]

Well, my execution off of FR wasn't quite my demise.

I've been very busy lately setting my Bible study online, with an eye for sucking more of those hapless Arminians into the dark side.


[img:bcffac7ceb]http://www.cybergeneva.org/images/HeadImages/header1.gif[/img:bcffac7ceb]


----------



## Fly Caster (Apr 16, 2004)

[quote:eb454ad6be][i:eb454ad6be]Originally posted by pastorway[/i:eb454ad6be]
I guess his theology came back to bite him in the end.......
[/quote:eb454ad6be]


Shall we call it the &quot;New Perspective on Mark?&quot;

Mark 16:18 (ESV) 
they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.&quot;


----------



## Learner (Apr 17, 2004)

*I don't think this issue is funny...it is sad.*

I can understand a humorous angle to it,however,it just
makes me sad to think that some twist the Word to such an extent.
Flycaster,you and I share the same proper name.I am
curious,what is your middle name?Mine is Wayne.


----------



## mjbee (Apr 17, 2004)

The person who died from a venomous bite obviously hasn't been watching Steve What's-His-Name on Animal Planet. :nopity:


----------



## Learner (Apr 17, 2004)

This is off the subject.However,Melissa,your quote of
Adrian Rodgers is a good one.I agree with it totally.Yet,have
you heard James White play A.D's take on Romans 9?A.D.is
off the mark biblically.


----------



## Learner (Apr 17, 2004)

A.D.?I meant A.R.Wow!I use initials to make it easier.And I still mess up.


----------



## mjbee (Apr 17, 2004)

Learner, I have no clue what you're talking about. I love James White. I was at his site when I linked into this one. I don't follow Adrian Rodgers, but ya gotta admit it's a good quote, even if it came from an Arminian Southern Baptist. 

In the Lamb,
Melissa


----------



## Learner (Apr 17, 2004)

*Sorry*

OK.Thanks for the clarification.


----------



## CCWoody (Apr 17, 2004)

[quote:0012a83c1e]Are you ignoring me CCWoody? Just [i:0012a83c1e]Josh[/i:0012a83c1e]in' ya![/quote:0012a83c1e]

Sorry, [b:0012a83c1e]NO[/b:0012a83c1e]! I just peeked in yesterday and when I checked back, I noticed that my friend A.J. was posting. Then, I noticed that he had just posted to me.

Yes, I currently post on other forums, when I'm not too busy with more important things, which has been quite often lately.

[Edited on 4-17-2004 by CCWoody]


----------



## Puritan Sailor (Apr 17, 2004)

[quote:4955943bc3][i:4955943bc3]Originally posted by Fly Caster[/i:4955943bc3]
[quote:4955943bc3][i:4955943bc3]Originally posted by pastorway[/i:4955943bc3]
I guess his theology came back to bite him in the end.......
[/quote:4955943bc3]


Shall we call it the &quot;New Perspective on Mark?&quot;

Mark 16:18 (ESV) 
they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.&quot; [/quote:4955943bc3]

So if we do have some Scriptural warrant for this practice, was this snake-handling preacher violating the regulative principle of worship with this practice? :roll:


----------



## Fly Caster (Apr 17, 2004)

[quote:57ecd7316c][i:57ecd7316c]Originally posted by puritansailor[/i:57ecd7316c]

So if we do have some Scriptural warrant for this practice, was this snake-handling preacher violating the regulative principle of worship with this practice? :roll: [/quote:57ecd7316c]

Surely you jest oke: 

Isn't it funny how Satan manages to corrupt worship. Its been the same thing through history, and we see it around the world today: Pagan practice blended with &quot;christian&quot; belief. What this guy was doing isn't different in principle from any other bizarre worship that you find in the world today, he just did it hillbilly style. Its sad and tragic.


----------



## cupotea (Apr 21, 2004)

*Dangerous grounds*

We must be careful in embracing something that is inherently self-destructive in nature. Those advocating this dangerous practise of handling snakes usually use two passages to make their claim of orthodoxy: the longer ending of Mark 16 [verses 9-20] and Acts 28:1-6. 
Acts 28: 1-6 is not in support of handling snakes in any fashion or form. When the Apostle Paul was bitten by the viper, he was picking up some sticks for firewood, not fooling with a poisonous snake to display some kind of perverted, religious bravado masked as 'faith.'
With respect to the longer ending, our two earliest parchment codices, Vaticanus (B) and Sinaiticus (A) do NOT contain it. Many other evidences could be brought to bear on this point but I shall refrain at this time. The preponderance of evidence via the scholia states the shorter ending of Mark 16 [1-8] is the correct ending.

There is no Biblical basis for such a self-destructive practise.


----------



## py3ak (Apr 21, 2004)

[quote:e1508a958e]
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Fly Caster 

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by pastorway 
I guess his theology came back to bite him in the end....... 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Shall we call it the &quot;New Perspective on Mark?&quot; 

Mark 16:18 (ESV) 
they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.&quot; 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



So if we do have some Scriptural warrant for this practice, was this snake-handling preacher violating the regulative principle of worship with this practice? :roll: 
[/quote:e1508a958e]


Puritan Sailor,

I think you have to draw a distinction between a practice that is warranted, and a practice that is warranted in the public worship of the church. The fact that, for instance, David meditates on the Lord while lying in bed does not mean that we ought to replace pews in churches with recliners! Secondly, Acts 28 seems to me to give the commentary on Mark 16:18. In other words, it tells us in what context, what kind of setting, Mark 16:18 is referring to. I do accept the longer ending of Mark, by the way. 
I realize you were joking --but you brought up a vital point for those who hold to the regulative principle.


----------



## FrozenChosen (Apr 29, 2004)

[quote:37f92a98dd][i:37f92a98dd]Originally posted by joshua[/i:37f92a98dd]
[quote:37f92a98dd][i:37f92a98dd]Originally posted by joshua[/i:37f92a98dd]
CC, you post on another forum somewhere. I can't remember, but I remember your CCWoody name. It's been several months since I've been to that &quot;other&quot; forum! ha ha [/quote:37f92a98dd]

Are you ignoring me CCWoody? Just [i:37f92a98dd]Josh[/i:37f92a98dd]in' ya!

[Edited on 4-16-2004 by joshua] [/quote:37f92a98dd]

Dude, seriously Josh, I think I speak for the board when I say you're &quot;joshing&quot; as you call it, well, it's going a bit far.


----------



## Puritanhead (Feb 3, 2005)

If you're driving through South Carolina backcountry, you might hear this on AM radio...

"So come to the Sword of Joshua, Full-Gospel Pentecostal Tabernacle of Praise, just off of route seventy-two on the frontage road. I am your pastor, Elroy Scruggs for another hour of power blessed by the Lord! And be sure to come on Wednesday night... ughh... for rattlesnake roundup night! And ye of little faith best bring antivenom, be cause you liable to get stung by the Lord!"

Crazy charismatics....
:bigsmile:


----------



## bond-servant (Feb 4, 2005)

Actually, it's kind of sad that anyone, especially a shepherd (little 's') would 
misinterpret scripture so badly that it cost him his life. Some example huh? I suppose most of his congregation will explain it away by saying that apparently he did not have the faith they thought he did....


----------



## Thomas (Apr 17, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Learner_
> I can understand a humorous angle to it,however,it just
> makes me sad to think that some twist the Word to such an extent.
> Flycaster,you and I share the same proper name.I am
> curious,what is your middle name?Mine is Wayne.


 I too can not see humour in another's death. This practice may be over the top but how is it twisting the word? Mark 16:18


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot (Apr 17, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Puritanhead_
> If you're driving through South Carolina backcountry, you might hear this on AM radio...
> 
> "So come to the Sword of Joshua, Full-Gospel Pentecostal Tabernacle of Praise, just off of route seventy-two on the frontage road. I am your pastor, Elroy Scruggs for another hour of power blessed by the Lord! And be sure to come on Wednesday night... ughh... for rattlesnake roundup night! And ye of little faith best bring antivenom, be cause you liable to get stung by the Lord!"
> ...


----------

