I think that's a good example of the personal slurs and insults that are not appropriate for any of the Religion forums, open or otherwise.
I mention it because I know you are extremely sensitive about following the rules precisely from the conversation yesterday about ecumenical threads.
I was going to put a substantive response here to your substantive comments, so this wasn't just a meta-post about rules, but I realised on re-reading that there was nothing to respond to.
I agree with you that snake handling requires no particular scripture knowledge, although I would imagine reading up about snakes might be helpful.
As to the substance of the argument about Mary and her children. I think scripture is clear enough that there were brothers and sisters, but acknowledge that the references themselves do not prove the point (Once again showing that Catholic doctrine, whether you agree with it or not, is not ignorant, but is cleverly, cautiously constructed on a reading and interpretation of scripture).
However, if there was basic tenet of faith and practice that involved Mary being a Virgin throughout her life, I would assert that someone would have mentioned it explicitly in the Scriptures. After all, it was a requirement of marriage to consumate the marriage, so if we were to believe it was never consumated, we should have been told that.
Scripture made a point that Joseph did not know her before Jesus was born, so it would have been trivial to say that Joseph didn't know her ever.
Boy Howdy!
I'm liking Kevlar gloves and clothing too....
Oh no no no. It is not personal, as it was not directed at any specific person(s).
Those who insist on making general statements "personal" are thin-skinned and they are the disruptors on an open thread.