Serpent-Handling West Virginia Pastor dies after snake bite

MoreliAddict · 05-31-12, 08:10 AM

Sorry if this has been posted!

Quote:

A "serpent-handling" West Virginia pastor died after his rattlesnake bit him during a church ritual, just as the man had apparently watched a snake kill his father years before.

Robin Vanover, Wolford's sister, told the Washington Post that 30 minutes into the outdoor service, Wolford passed around a poisonous timber rattlesnake, which eventually bit him.

"He laid it on the ground," Vanover said in the interview, "and he sat down next to the snake, and it bit him on the thigh."

Vanover said Wolford was then transported to a family member's home in Bluefield about 80 miles away to recover. But as the situation worsened, he was taken to a hospital where he later died.

Instead of seeking immediate medical help, friends and family prayed for his healing.

Snake-handlers point to scripture as evidence that God calls them to engage in such a practice to show their faith in him. Mark 16: 17-18 reads, "And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues. 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."

"Anybody can do it that believes it," Wolford said. "Jesus said, 'These signs shall follow them which believe.' This is a sign to show people that God has the power."

Wolford said watched his own father die at the age of 39 after a rattlesnake bit him during a similar service.

"He lived 10 1/2 hours," Wolford told the Washington Post Magazine. "When he got bit, he said he wanted to die in the church. Three hours after he was bitten, his kidneys shut down. After a while, your heart stops. I hated to see him go, but he died for what he believed in.

"I know it's real; it is the power of God," Wolford told the Washington Post Magazine last year. "If I didn't do it, if I'd never gotten back involved, it'd be the same as denying the power and saying it was not real."

insignia100 · 05-31-12, 08:27 AM

Just one of the reasons I'm not planning on returning to backwards-*** WV. At least where I'm from in WV these guys look just as crazy as they do to the rest of the nation.

StudentoReptile · 05-31-12, 08:27 AM

I know this is probably pushing the envelope in regards to discussing religion, but I'll just say this: as a Christian myself, I'll go on record saying, while I'm sorry for the loss of any life, the guy was an idiot, and so was his father.

CDN_Blood · 05-31-12, 08:30 AM

If you play with fire, you're eventually going to get burned. It's that simple

StudentoReptile · 05-31-12, 08:36 AM

Common sense is an oxymoron.

Norm66 · 05-31-12, 08:44 AM

Why does it have to be West Virginia with stuff like this? The rest of the country already thinks we're all backwoods types. But not only does the place I work have running water and indoor plumbing but we have an electron microscope! ;^)

Terranaut · 05-31-12, 09:20 AM

Face palm says it all.

shaunyboy · 05-31-12, 09:28 AM

imo religion has a lot to answer for regards death...!!!

more people have been killed in the name of religion,than any OTHER cause

be it wars or mad snakey folk

cheers shaun

alessia55 · 05-31-12, 09:32 AM

It was only a matter of time...

Lankyrob · 05-31-12, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StudentoReptile

I know this is probably pushing the envelope in regards to discussing religion, but I'll just say this: as a Christian myself, I'll go on record saying, while I'm sorry for the loss of any life, the guy was an idiot, and so was his father.

Agree 100%

mykee · 05-31-12, 10:53 AM

Darwinism at its best.

Will0W783 · 05-31-12, 11:08 AM

I am a Christian, but I have to say that serpent-handling in the name of religion is a dangerous, reckless practice. For one thing, a lot of the handlers have their snakes defanged or mutilated to remove the venom glands- these surgeries are not done nicely and cleanly either, and the snakes are malnourished and lethargic. So it's little wonder a lot of them don't get bitten- they are working with vipers too sick to care anymore.

Those that do handle intact healthy vipers are just asking for it.....and to quote the Bible as saying that it's the responsibility of believers to go around handling snakes as a sign..... I suppose we should believe the world was created in 7 24-hour days too and that there's no such thing as evolution....*smh*

It's a shame this guy died; I'd never wish death on anyone, but it was only a matter of time and hopefully people take away some learning from this. Although I fear it is far more likely that the general public will see it as another "oh no, scary evil snake kills someone! Kill ALL the snakes!!" justification, and the members of his church will cry about Satan coming and such.

SSSSnakes · 05-31-12, 11:32 AM

I'm a Pastor and when these idiots do stuff like this, it makes all snake handlers look bad. When people find out I handle snakes and am a Pastor, right away they think I'm one of these nuts. I then have to set them straight. I know what the Bible says and I know when it is taken out of context and misinterpreted. My Bible also says, Luke 4:12 "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God"

Will0W783 · 05-31-12, 12:58 PM

Jerry, I just looked at your website- it's fabulous!

SSSSnakes · 05-31-12, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will0W783

Jerry, I just looked at your website- it's fabulous!

Thank you very much. We try to keep it informative and entertaining.