Snake handling as a religious rite still exists in the United States, reports National Geographic.
Obscure Pentecostal groups within southeastern sates, mostly in Appalachia; handle copperheads and other poisonous reptiles during their religious services.
Perhaps as many as 2,000 Americans in about 40 churches practice this risky religious ritual.
And the observance is based upon the rather questionable exegesis of the New Testament scripture, “They shall take up serpents,” found within Mark 16.
But some biblical scholars say that this very verse may not have been included within the original Gospel of Mark.
Never mind.
These true believers would rather die than delve into such scholarship. And more than a hundred have historically, some leaving behind orphaned children.
One practitioner claimed, “I was bit 14 times, by rattlesnakes, copperheads, water moccasins, and I never used anti venom.”
It is possible to develop a resistance to snake venom through repeated bites.
However, water moccasins , which typically require immediate medical treatment and anti venom, seems like a stretch.
But copperheads that are far less venomous and often don’t require emergency care sounds plausible.
Thankfully these folks don’t live in Australia, where the deadly bite of snakes such as the Taipan or Brown , might not afford them an opportunity to say “Hallelujah” at another meeting.
no comment untill now