We had some in our neighborhood. They'd tell kids on the playground "if'n ye don' tek op the serpents, ye'll all be goin' to Hell".
They also did the trick with drinking poisons.
The term "snakehandlers" is not simply metaphorical ~ they are a definable religious minority group.
Oh, they are here.
Well, they don't have to worry about MY joining that church. Yeck...