If we are playing 7 degrees of [...]]]>

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.

If we are playing 7 degrees of snakehandlers, I can probably win. I have friends, amateur herpetologists, who collect snakes and supply the Sand Mountain churches with them. I also have friends who are or have been pastors or assistant pastors of charismatic Sand Mountain congregations. I tease them about snake-handling even though they don’t do that in their churches and think it’s just about as scary and unusual as anyone down in the city does.. I have a book, recently acquired, on my shelf called Salvation on Sand Mountain about snake handling churches, but I haven’t read it yet. I look forward to it. I guess it’s no surprise that I dreamed about handling snakes, and being bitten, this weekend. Enjoy the video and be sure to read about the section in Mark quoted at the top of the page.

Discussion on the validity of Mark 16:9-20. I don’t know if I agree that 16:8 cannot represent the original ending of Mark. Those who expect the story to continue with the spreading of word of the Resurrection to the Twelve have a good reason for looking for some further ending. It isn’t clear that Mark must have felt the need for that narrative the same way some of his modern critics do. Either way, I am of the opinion that 9:20 is a later addition. Now, who’s going to tell that to the people in the video?

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Posted in: Bible, Fun, Humor, Religion, Uncategorized
Post tags: Bible, Snake Handling

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