From what I understand, they were a bunch of older, overweight, out of shape women jumping and flopping around like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off LOL!!!They wasn't fightin', they was diagreein' Arobickly. :wink:
I'll be blunt, and I'll even take a fundamentalist view:As usual, great points! I think all perceptions are equal, although only to the one who perceives them. Perceptions can change and do lots of times, over time, I know mine has. If you perceive someone else perception to be wrong that is your perception not theirs. I have to think if any god was concerned with having all perceptions being the same, then he would have made it easier for them to be perceived the same.
The human desire, need for their to be more than this short life here on Earth I think is the driving force behind all afterlife beliefs and hopes and I personally believe and know there is more than what we see in this physical realm. I happen to know that heaven is not what the religions on this planet picture it to be. There are no 30 virgins waiting on you or pearly, gold streets to walk on while you play harps and sing songs of joy for eternity lol!That is myth just like most elements of religion.
I believe we are on this planet for a purpose, and it is not so the gods can have mortal worshipers, what purpose would that serve a god? Vanity? No I do not believe that and know that is not our purpose. I believe our purpose is an experience one, maybe even an experimental purpose for them to learn from. I do not believe all gods know it all and in fact the Bible even says they do not. But I am getting way off this subject lol!
What I would like to know is, how many times that snake handling preacher has been bitten? What kind of health he was in before he was bitten this last time? Lots of things could have been involved in why he died this time and not another. My great grandparents, when I was a child, had a large German Shepherd that killed many poisonous snakes in his lifetime on their snake infested farm, but finally when he was 11 or 12 years old the last snake he killed and was bit by done him in.
One trick that my cousin would do before taking his snakes to the church for them to handle, was to milk them of their venom, in fact that is what he was doing when he got bit and nearly died. But he did go to the hospital unlike that preacher.![]()
One purpose I am also sure we were not put here for was to test god, which is what to me handling snakes is doing. They may say it is all about testing their faith but to me I do not perceive it that way. Although that is my perception not theirs and I do not assume my perception to be greater than theirs, just mine, mine alone.![]()
It's not instant. IIRC correctly, it's generally a few hours, depending on species, size of snake, etc. A couple of oddities is that, sometimes, a snake, particularly a large one won't expend all it's venom on one bite, hold some in reserve, so to speak. That probably explains a lot of survivals. Also, it's rarer, but sometimes they will deliver a completely "dry" bite, no venom at all. The reason isn't known, unless it just intended as a warning...How long does it take a poisonous snake to rejuvenate its juice after it delivers a lethal bite to a preacher?
I prefer the warning bite it the snake will be so kind.It's not instant. IIRC correctly, it's generally a few hours, depending on species, size of snake, etc. A couple of oddities is that, sometimes, a snake, particularly a large one won't expend all it's venom on one bite, hold some in reserve, so to speak. That probably explains a lot of survivals. Also, it's rarer, but sometimes they will deliver a completely "dry" bite, no venom at all. The reason isn't known, unless it just intended as a warning...
I think they conveniently forget that command!I'll be blunt, and I'll even take a fundamentalist view:
how in the world can someone who believes in Jesus being tempted by an evil being to jump off of a temple - but refusing to do it precisely because God said NOT to put him to the test.....how can someone like that then turn right around and put God to the test with poisonous snakes?
As the late Wendy Bagwell used to cap his story about the snake handling church, a member there said to him, "Do you mean to tell me if the Lord commanded you to take up the serpent you wouldn't take him up?"
Wendy said, "Yes ma'am, I surely would. But He didn't, and I ain't."
I think where I was bitten, on the top of my big toe where there is not a lot of flesh to sink in before it hits bone and the fact I was walking not standing still may have aided in my less than usual reaction to the poison, what little I received. Of course I like to think it was all the alcohol in my system!It's not instant. IIRC correctly, it's generally a few hours, depending on species, size of snake, etc. A couple of oddities is that, sometimes, a snake, particularly a large one won't expend all it's venom on one bite, hold some in reserve, so to speak. That probably explains a lot of survivals. Also, it's rarer, but sometimes they will deliver a completely "dry" bite, no venom at all. The reason isn't known, unless it just intended as a warning...