IS there really a church in the Christian faith that uses the handling of rattlesnakes as proof of ?

Question

of thier righteousness? i am not trying to be offensive but this show i watched showed them picking up rattlesnakes and it was beleived that if you were pure in your righteousness you would not be bitten. is there really a church like this? serious answeres only please.

i thought maybe i should add i am a Christian but not one who is foolish enough to tempt God!

Answer 1

I hope you were not watching X-files and the freak satanic priest that handled snakes for that purpose.

There may be actual satanic cults that do that for other purposes but nothing in Christianity has attempted to do whatyou suggest because faith is a gift from the Holly Spirit.

Satan is clever at deceiving everybody, telling people God does not exist so that people blinded by their lack of knowledge can be killed spiritually and never have ever lasting life.

The snake in Christianity much of it is a symbol for satan. Why would a Christian need to proof righteousness through a snake?

It is a satanic cult that you watched on tv and nothing else.

You have to be careful what you watch on tv.
The power of satan is deep and starts with simple innocent looking phrases or names and shows that lead to wondering into the obscure and that, is a deadly trap.

Fill your mind with positive and spiritual good spiritual things and switch to Christian tv you will find it a relief and you won't be exposed to satan trying to derail you.

Answer 2

Yes, there really are churches that practice handling venomous snakes as a part of their religious worship The thought arises out of a passage found in some of the ancient texts of Mark's Gospel (Mark 16:18). Most of the newer translations recognize that the last nine verses of this chapter are not found in the best manuscripts and are thus discounted from the original. A good book to read on the subject of these churches is "These Also Believe" by Charles S. Braden.

Answer 3

That's right, it's a form of charismatic church. They use the last verses of Mark chapter 16 in the KJV Bible. However, many texts don't include this and it's not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible. It also doensn' make sense because one of the Devils temptations to Christ was for him to jump off a wall by the temple. HOwever, Jesus said to him at Luke 4; 12 " YOu must not put Jehovah your God to the test."

It's true that the apostle Paul was miraculously healed when bitten by a snake after a shipwreck , but it was not from playijng with snakes but while bending over on the island.

Answer 4

Hi Momma,
There are a number of Snake Handling Churches in Kentucky. They are off the beat-and-path, rather a backwoods group. I am not sure about rattlesnakes but they handle copperheads and other poisonous snakes. There have been documentaries about them several different times. I do not believe that anyone ever said EXACTLY where they were located in Kentucky. Have a great day.
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Answer 5

Yes, there are some. I want to say they are Baptists are something. Not trying to offend Baptists but I think that's what I saw on that show as well. I don't know the exact name of the church but they're around. I wouldn't recommend going there either. The bible never says you need to be bit by a snake to show your loyalty or anything. Just another out there idea to get people to jump through hoops in my opinion.

Answer 6

Yes, there are few "out there" Pentecostals who use Mark 16:18 as proof. Of course, if they bothered to do any real study, they would realize that these miracles were only for the apostles and early Christians, and only for a short time.

Answer 7

Absolutely.
It is a branch of Pentecostalism that is found in the back-woods of the United States. Some of our Pentecostal friends actually wandered into a snake-handling church one time.

Answer 8

There are some churches which do that. They use the verse in Mark 16:17-18 as their reason for doing it; "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

The more common understanding of the scripture is not that people are to take up serpents or drink poisons to prove their faith. That would be "tempting God", just Jesus would have done is he had jumped off the Temple to prove his faith - one of the temptations satan tried on Jesus. Rather the scripture refers to God protecting his people should their witnessing and serve to God place them in dangerous places.

You will see this second understand demonstrated in Acts 28:3-5 where Paul, while on one of his teaching journeys, is accidently bitten by a snake. "And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm."

Answer 9

Yes, in certain Baptist churches in the south (not a plank of Baptist creed). They believe if you have faith, they won't harm you because God will intervene. But, my Bible says, "thou shalt not tempt the Lord, thy God."

Answer 10

You're reffering to the fanatical, cult-like practices of alot of "southern" Pentecostal churches. Most of these looney cults are secluded, thankfully.