Woman Fatally Bitten by Snake in Church

breitbart.com ^ | Nov. 8, 2006 | breitbart

[girlangler]

A woman who was bitten by a snake at a church that neighbors say practices serpent handling died of her wounds hours later, a newspaper reported. Linda Long, 48, was bitten Sunday at East London Holiness Church, where neighbors said the reptiles are handled as part of religious services, The Lexington Herald-Leader reported Tuesday.

Long died at University of Kentucky Medical Center about four hours after being bitten, authorities told the newspaper.

"She said she was bitten by a snake at her church," said Lt. Ed Sizemore of the Laurel County Sheriff's Office.

Handling reptiles as part of religious services is illegal in Kentucky. Snake handling is a misdemeanor and punishable by a $50 to $100 fine.

Police said they had not received any reports of snake handling at the church.

Snake handling is based on a passage in the Bible that says a sign of a true believer is the power to "take up serpents" without being harmed.

Church officials could not be reached for comment.

[neodad]

They found Madame Speaker in Kentucky?

[cripplecreek]

I've got faith that a rattlesnake won't bite me if I stay away from it.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Before the usual jokes start, I read a book on Serpent Handlers, and it was pretty interesting stuff. Not that I was tempted to convert.

I usually just bless them with a .410.

[Toby06]

Was Denzel anywhere to be seen?

[pipecorp]

stupid is as stupid does.

[boomop1]

Was a republican, I bet.

[Red Badger]

...a sign of a true believer is the power to "take up serpents" without being harmed.

I guess she wasn't.........

[PBRSTREETGANG]

She went to church with James Carville?

[Red Badger]

I consider them to be "tempting" or "testing" God, and that's a BIG NO-NO!.........

[MaryFromMichigan]

Handling reptiles as part of religious services is illegal in Kentucky. Snake handling is a misdemeanor and punishable by a $50 to $100 fine.

...or death.

[snarks_when_bored]

stupid is was as stupid does did.

[AppyPappy]

Not enough faith I suspect (cough)

[Tijeras_Slim]

I consider them to be "tempting" or "testing" God, and that's a BIG NO-NO!.........

I try to stay off the radar screen entirely.

[DBrow]

"Handling reptiles as part of religious services is illegal in Kentucky."

How is this legal? Serpent (or snake) handling is an important part of Christianity, and was written up in the Gospel according to Mark:

41:016:016 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned.

41:016:017 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name
shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

41:016:018 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.

41:016:019 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received
up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

You'd think that the Separation of Church and State would preclude anti-Christian laws.

[Cinnamon]

she failed the test of faith! stone her to death!

[wideawake]

Perhaps she should have taken a break from Mark 16:18 and concentrated a little more on Matthew 4:7.

[Mrs Ivan]

Handling reptiles as part of religious services

Riiiiiiiight, I was trying not to chuckle at this but reading that, I can't help it.

Darwin award.

[Red Badger]

There's only one place in the Bible that I can think of where God actually says to test him in reference to something............

[wideawake]

No it isn't.

Less than one thousandth of one percent of self-professed Christians are stupid enough to engage in this silly practice.