Author Topic: Serpent-handling pastor dies from rattlesnake bite (Read 421 times)

Gracie · « **on:** May 30, 2012, 12:23:19 PM »

Is anybody surprised?

From article:

Quote

Mark Randall “Mack” Wolford was known all over Appalachia as a daring man of conviction. He believed that the Bible mandates that Christians handle serpents to test their faith in God — and that, if they are bitten, they trust in God alone to heal them.

He and other adherents cited Mark 16:17-18 as the reason for their practice: “And these signs will follow those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

More at link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/serpent-handling-pastor-profiled-earlier-in-washington-post-dies-from-rattlesnake-bite/2012/05/29/gJQAJef5zU_story.html?tid=pm_pop

Mr. Wolford's father was also a snake-handling preacher who died from a snake bite. Oops!

I should have known this wasn't a story from The Onion.

Nick · « **Reply #1 on:** May 30, 2012, 12:47:40 PM »

Natures way of getting rid of stupid people.

eye over you · « **Reply #2 on:** May 30, 2012, 01:00:36 PM »

All part of God's plan
It was his "time."
He's in a better place.
I think I got that right.

ParkingPlaces · « **Reply #3 on:** May 30, 2012, 02:14:47 PM »

Well, I can't blame people for wanting their religion to have actual feedback. Now he knows he isn't pious, and can adjust accordingly.

Oops, too late.

nogodsforme · « **Reply #4 on:** May 30, 2012, 05:24:47 PM »

The question is, what will his followers say?

One thing we can predict: they will not say they were wrong. They will not say that god won't protect you from poisonous snakes after all, that if you don't get bitten you are just lucky, or that maybe the snakes are used to people from all that handling.

And they will go on handling snakes.

pingnak · « **Reply #5 on:** May 30, 2012, 07:37:37 PM »

Not enough faith, I guess.

Musta been a closet atheist.

mrbiscoop · « **Reply #6 on:** May 30, 2012, 09:18:59 PM »

I could give a shit. This asswipe deserved to die. I only hope (seriously) that the snake was okay.

ParkingPlaces · « **Reply #7 on:** May 30, 2012, 09:42:45 PM »

All I can say is that if I were a closet atheist and someone tried to hand me a rattlesnake to prove my faith, I'd be out of that closet so fast I'd pass several thousand gays on the way.

I find it impossible to imagine the mindset of a person who seriously believes the serpent thingy in the bible that much. Especially given the fact that not all parishioners survive.

Science has snake-handlers too. They're called herpetologists. I assume a few get bit every year, but I also assume they know where the nearest anti-venom kit is as well.

Mr. Blackwell · « **Reply #8 on:** May 30, 2012, 10:46:59 PM »

Cases like this should, in my humble opinion, be at the tippy top of the Darwin Awards.

My real fear is that IF God is real, he loves irony as much as I do.

Like father like son.

pingnak · « **Reply #9 on:** May 30, 2012, 11:19:34 PM »

From about 18:00 on, Douglas Adams talks about a herpetologist.

Astreja · « **Reply #10 on:** May 31, 2012, 12:35:59 AM »

The only positive I see in this sad story is that it was the pastor who died, and not a church member or one of their kids.

ParkingPlaces · « **Reply #11 on:** May 31, 2012, 12:50:16 AM »

If you're wondering whether or not to watch pingnak's video, stop wondering and click play. The herpetologist story is great. The rest of the talk is just plain darned good. I loved it.

And ultimately it does address religion, so it is even relevant in the technical sense.

+1 of course. That's all I'm allowed to give.

Many thanks, pingnak.

Fiji · « **Reply #12 on:** May 31, 2012, 01:53:20 AM »

Quote

Mark 16:17-18

King James Version (KJV)

17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

18 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.

Even if you assume the bible is true ... where exactly does it say that the serpents they pick up won't hurt them?
You could just as well say that these verses tell us "You'll recognise the Christians by the dumb stunts they pull"
...
Which actually doesn't miss the mark by all that much

hickdive · « **Reply #13 on:** May 31, 2012, 03:11:03 AM »

I wouldn't wish anyone dead and I'm deeply ashamed of myself but;

this is HILARIOUS!

Fiji · « **Reply #14 on:** May 31, 2012, 03:43:09 AM »

Quote

The son of a serpent handler who himself died in 1983 after being bitten, Wolford was trying to keep the practice alive,

Well, seems he succeeded.

Quote

By late afternoon, it was clear that this time was different, and desperate messages began flying about on Facebook, asking for prayer. Wolford got progressively worse. Paramedics transported him to Bluefield Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead

Man sick => run to god for help => man still sick => run to science for help => science goes 'well, you might have done that the other way around, actually.'
Considering what site we're on ... QED, I'd say.

Also, I don't seen any mention of offspring ... Darwin Award Nominee?

Nick · « **Reply #15 on:** May 31, 2012, 05:48:58 AM »

Quote from: mrbiscoop on May 30, 2012, 09:18:59 PM

I could give a shit. This asswipe deserved to die. I only hope (seriously) that the snake was okay.

The snake is now preaching and handling people.

nogodsforme · « **Reply #16 on:** May 31, 2012, 10:36:44 AM »

Quote from: Nick on May 31, 2012, 05:48:58 AM

Quote from: mrbiscoop on May 30, 2012, 09:18:59 PM
I could give a shit. This asswipe deserved to die. I only hope (seriously) that the snake was okay.
The snake is now preaching and handling people.

Well, that's how this whole religion got started....

fishjie · « **Reply #17 on:** May 31, 2012, 01:26:23 PM »

well, i can respect that he practiced what he believed in. most christians just cherry pick what verses from the bible anyway, and ignore the ones that blatantly contradict reality or contain genocide/rape/slavery.

if more christians were honest about their beliefs and examined them rationally, they'd come to the realization that they don't actually believe any of the shit in the bible. if they did, they would be like this guy. jesus didn't put an expiration date on miracles.

Frank · « **Reply #18 on:** May 31, 2012, 01:42:38 PM »

Quote from: Gracie on May 30, 2012, 12:23:19 PM

Is anybody surprised?

From article:
Quote
Mark Randall “Mack” Wolford was known all over Appalachia as a daring man of conviction. He believed that the Bible mandates that Christians handle serpents to test their faith in God — and that, if they are bitten, they trust in God alone to heal them.

He and other adherents cited Mark 16:17-18 as the reason for their practice: “And these signs will follow those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

More at link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/serpent-handling-pastor-profiled-earlier-in-washington-post-dies-from-rattlesnake-bite/2012/05/29/gJQAJef5zU_story.html?tid=pm_pop

Mr. Wolford's father was also a snake-handling preacher who died from a snake bite. Oops!

Snakes 2 dumb loonies 0.

Timtheskeptic · « **Reply #19 on:** June 01, 2012, 08:43:43 PM »

All i can say is, "Oh the irony."

News:

Author Topic: Serpent-handling pastor dies from rattlesnake bite (Read 421 times)