Snake Salvation

[John81]

Has anybody watched this show, which began a few weeks ago?

 

I've not purposefully sat down and watched an episode, but when I've noticed it on (they seem to be rerunning it a lot) I've been putting the TV on that channel and catching parts of it as I go about my business.

 

It's been hard to get a real handle on just what these folks believe, seeing only a few scattered minutes here and there, but the other night I caught most of an episode which made it clear these "snake handlers" have an unbiblical view of salvation.

 

In the episode I refer to one of the pastors daughters decided to leave the church, at least for awhile, as she tries to sort things out. Her pastor daddy and her mom made comments about how sad they are because so long as she's not in church she's not right with God and if she were to die she would go to hell because of that. They also mentioned a few sins she was in (getting a divorce, her deciding to wear pants...snake handlers believe wearing pants is a sin...and not praying in their church, etc.), each of which was claimed would doom her to hell. From what the pastor and his wife said, it's obvious they believe in a very limited "salvation" and it's a "salvation" one has to work for and work to keep.

 

So, while the previous bits I had seen showed them to be odd, even very odd, and somewhat hyper-charismatic in some of their ways, it wasn't until that episode that I finally heard enough to be able to know whether or not they held to a biblical view of salvation or not. Sadly, they do not.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

While Linda and I wanted to see the show when we first heard about it, we are unable to watch it because our cable provider does not provide it for the package we pay for.

[John81]

You're not really missing much. If one takes their view of Christians from that show it will be a very bad thing. Those folks may be sincere, and at least some of them seem to be, but they are sincerely wrong.

 

In their church some of the members have a band, at least in one of them, and they kind of rock out and dance in a way that reminds me of those old time Charismatic jigs. Sometimes they do that "falling out" stuff and, of course, they handle the snakes, dance around with them, and sometimes seem to be in almost some sort of trance.

 

Very strange and very unbiblical.

[Standing Firm In Christ]

You're not really missing much. If one takes their view of Christians from that show it will be a very bad thing. Those folks may be sincere, and at least some of them seem to be, but they are sincerely wrong.

 

In their church some of the members have a band, at least in one of them, and they kind of rock out and dance in a way that reminds me of those old time Charismatic jigs. Sometimes they do that "falling out" stuff and, of course, they handle the snakes, dance around with them, and sometimes seem to be in almost some sort of trance.

 

Very strange and very unbiblical.

I'm like Wendy Bagwell.  There ain't a greedy bone in my body.  They can give my snake to someone else.  ROFL

[No Nicolaitans]

I watched one episode.  Here's what I gathered from it.

 

The show deals with two groups of Snake-handling sects.  One in Kentucky (I think) and one in Tennessee (I think).

 

The show that I watched dealt more with the Tennessee group; however, it did show segments from the Kentucky group.  The Kentucky pastor and his son (who wants to be the pastor in the future) were out hunting snakes.  The son had a small accident, and though he didn't use foul language, his language was still questionable in my opinion...again, showing the world that there's no difference between them and "Christians".  The son also said that part of being a pastor is to take care of their snakes.  He really emphasized that point...as if it were a biblical qualification.

 

The Tennessee group is pastored by a very young man...looks to be a teenage boy.  In the episode, their church was trying to fight the forces of evil coming against it.  One of the female members claims to be a prophet, and she is instrumental in helping this young pastor.  They are concerned about people leaving the church; therefore, they planned a revival service in order to fight the evil and bring the church closer together.

 

The young pastor said that he had seen miracles in the past, but he wanted to see more.  In the revival service, the young pastor "experienced" what he called "the baptism of the Holy Spirit"; in which, he was holding a snake...he started hopping around until he finally went into what appeared to be convulsions...and then he passed out.  When he "woke up", he acted very dazed.  

 

They also had an inflatable wading pool filled with water, and anyone who wanted healed would stand in the inflatable wading pool of water while the others laid hands on them and prayed over them.

 

Later interviews with the pastor...

1. He said that there's nothing like "experiencing" the Holy Spirit.  
2. He said that he believed a girl (who was obviously deformed) was healed.

He wants to "see" more miracles, and it's all based on "feeling" and having an "experience"...not to mention the snake-handling.

 

2 Corinthians 5:7

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

[Ukulelemike]

For vacation bible school one year I brought in a 7' boa constrictor. If anyone outside saw me bring it in, I'm sure word went around a bit about us. Really, though, the day's theme was jungle-related, and as I had a friend with a large jungle animal, I thought it appropriate. Even had one older lady who always told me of her deathly fear of snakes, insist on seeing it, as well as petting it. I guess for some reason, in her mind, a big snake wasn't as bad as a litle one.

 

Other than that, no snake-handling here, unless one sneaks in and we have to handle it out the door. Fortunately I like snakes so I won't mind.

[JerryNumbers]

They seem to revolve around snakes, not God, not faith in Jesus. Snake salvation, not salvation by faith in Jesus.

 

One show they had a visitor the pastor met at the pet store while buying mice for his snakes to eat. After the service he said nothing seemed to be said about faith, I probably will not come back.

 

In one show a young man got bit by a snake on a snake hunt in Louisiana. The pastor who had caught the snake with one of those things they use, turned around moving the snake right to him, it bit him two times on his hand or arm. He survived.

[John81]

They seem to revolve around snakes, not God, not faith in Jesus. Snake salvation, not salvation by faith in Jesus.

 

One show they had a visitor the pastor met at the pet store while buying mice for his snakes to eat. After the service he said nothing seemed to be said about faith, I probably will not come back.

 

In one show a young man got bit by a snake on a snake hunt in Louisiana. The pastor who had caught the snake with one of those things they use, turned around moving the snake right to him, it bit him two times on his hand or arm. He survived.

I saw part of the episode where the kid got bit. The guy holding the snake turned the snake right into him! They certainly aren't very careful. That kid looked terrible for awhile. I think that one guy was starting to worry because he started saying that since he wasn't bitten in church he could choose to go to a doctor if he wanted to.

 

Apparently, they believe if one gets bit in church they are only to pray for healing and recovery. If they get bit in church and go to a doctor that's a sign they lack faith. However, if a snake bites them outside of a church service, there is no lack of faith in going for medical help.

 

Strange beliefs!

 

No doubt they speak of Jesus, but their main attention seems to be upon each person proving their faith and basically earning their salvation by keeping their set of religious rules and by handling snakes. They claim to rely upon Jesus and the Holy Spirit to protect them and keep them safe and to heal them, but they are not relying upon Christ and Him alone for salvation, they are relying upon their own efforts.

 

They don't seem to read or preach the whole Bible, and if that is the case, it's no wonder they are going a wrong direction and easily misled.

[Miss Daisy]

We know they'll only portray Christians if they're have abnormal and have crazy ideas and ways!!

I haven't seen the show but I bet I could watch online if I really wanted to. Naaah...

[Miss Daisy]

you know what's next don't you?? after yesterday's post on another forum?.......naked snake church

[John81]

you know what's next don't you?? after yesterday's post on another forum?.......naked snake church

That actually wouldn't surprise me any!

 

I don't know what channel it was, but there for a while some channel kept showing clips from a "church" that meets in a bar in Florida. The pastor was wearing shorts, beach style shirt and flip flops. The "congregation" were dressed in similar style and they sat at the tables in the bar drinking their beer while listening to the sermon, if one can really call the pastors watered down message a sermon.

 

One things for sure, that "congregation" might love the watered down sermon, but they would have flipped tables over if their drinks were watered down that much!

[JerryNumbers]

I saw part of the episode where the kid got bit. The guy holding the snake turned the snake right into him! They certainly aren't very careful. That kid looked terrible for awhile. I think that one guy was starting to worry because he started saying that since he wasn't bitten in church he could choose to go to a doctor if he wanted to.

 

Apparently, they believe if one gets bit in church they are only to pray for healing and recovery. If they get bit in church and go to a doctor that's a sign they lack faith. However, if a snake bites them outside of a church service, there is no lack of faith in going for medical help.

 

Strange beliefs!

 

No doubt they speak of Jesus, but their main attention seems to be upon each person proving their faith and basically earning their salvation by keeping their set of religious rules and by handling snakes. They claim to rely upon Jesus and the Holy Spirit to protect them and keep them safe and to heal them, but they are not relying upon Christ and Him alone for salvation, they are relying upon their own efforts.

 

They don't seem to read or preach the whole Bible, and if that is the case, it's no wonder they are going a wrong direction and easily misled.

 

So true, clumsy, or he just does not think, I would not want to be around him if we were around anything dangerous, like snakes!

 

That was a stupid moment!

 

Did not seem to me they preached the whole Bible, just the part about snakes!

[JerryNumbers]

you know what's next don't you?? after yesterday's post on another forum?.......naked snake church

 

Wow! Its bad enough the way it is!

[20JC12]

I've enjoyed the show though I may not completely understand the reasoning behind it (the snake part). I'm connected with a couple of them on FB and they seem like really sincere folks who are passionate about Christ. Don't know them beyond that of course and the show only shows very little parts so you can't get a true idea of what they preach. 

 

Other than that I've enjoyed it however I do think the mission of the channel is to show Christian's looking nuts which they seem to successfully do.

[John81]

I've enjoyed the show though I may not completely understand the reasoning behind it (the snake part). I'm connected with a couple of them on FB and they seem like really sincere folks who are passionate about Christ. Don't know them beyond that of course and the show only shows very little parts so you can't get a true idea of what they preach. 

 

Other than that I've enjoyed it however I do think the mission of the channel is to show Christian's looking nuts which they seem to successfully do.

The show does have some entertainment points. I have no doubt some of them really do have some passion regarding Christ but it's likely misplaced just as those in the RCC are. In one episode I saw they made it very clear they believe in a works based salvation. They teach that one must meet certain requirements to go to heaven and if one stops meeting any of them then they will go to hell if they don't return before they die.

 

Sadly, many professing Christians are sincere, some even passionate, but they are lost according to Scripture. These are among those who will tell Jesus they did this and that for Him, only to hear Jesus tell them that He never knew them before He has them cast into hell. The thought of that really saddens me.