Is it the Mormons?

Question

I was wondering if anybody could tell me why the Mormons feel the need to handle snakes during their services? I never could understand that, but to each his own I guess. I seen that on A&E.

Answer 1

It isn't Mormons that handle snakes.

Snake Handlers are more generally known as the Church of God with Signs Following.Although other people prominently figure into the history of this religious movement George Went Hensley is commonly considered the father of contemporary serpent handling.

The practice is believed to have started with George Hensley in the hills of Tennessee (Melton 1996, 636). As church lore has it, snake handling started sometime in the later part of the first decade of the twentieth century while Hensley was preaching at the Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee. During Hensley's sermon about Mark 16 some men dumped out a box full of rattlesnakes in front of him. Without missing a beat Hensley reached down and picked up the snakes, preaching the entire time. By 1914 the practice had spread throughout the Church of God, however, the actual act of snake handling was only practiced by a small portion of the members.

Answer 2

You have the Mormon Church mixed up with another religion. Mormons do not handle snakes during any of our services. I have heard a lot of stuff about the Mormon Church, but this is a new one, even for me! I think even the biggest Mormon haters would tell you that you have been misinformed on this! You say you saw this on A&E? Well, either A&E gave out a whole lot of wrong information to their viewers, which I find hard to believe because I have watched them for years and never seen anything like what you have said, or you are confussed on what you think you heard and seen. I'm going to email A&E and ask about the program you're referring to, and I have a feeling that they won't be showing me anything even remotley close to snakes being handled during services or any other time in a Mormon church! That's just creepy!

Answer 3

Mormons do not handle snakes during their worship services. It is possible that what you saw was footage of a bizarre sect that has nothing to do with traditional Mormonism.

However, good Mormons nowadays still wear their special undies. It's their secret underwear with special Mormon insignia, and it is supposed to offer them divine protection.

Answer 4

It's not the Mormons.

Snake Handlers are more generally known as the Church of God with Signs Following. Under this umbrella term falls the loosely organized "Pentecostal churches, ministers and itinerent preachers popularly known as snake handlers." The practice itself developed out of the Pentecostal-Holiness movement which flourished in the first two decades of the twentieth century (Melton 1996, 636).

Answer 5

Not all Mormons handle snakles. Its a very small portion, every religion has its morons.

Answer 6

i've never heard of that. my mom's bf is (well was) mormon. i'll have to ask him. thats weird tho