Posted on 02/16/2014 5:25:58 PM PST by ifinnegan
Interesting op-Ed by the snake handler from Kentucky who was finally killed by a rattlesnake bite. It is about the constitution and freedom of religion. His name was Jamie Coots. I'd never heard of him before, but he was apparently on a National Geographic TV show for a while.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Darwin award jokers don't even understand Darwinism.
Yes, the Constitution protects your religious right to do stupid things such as handling poisonous snake, but that doesn’t make it a good idea.
/johnny
1Cor 10:9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;
I’m not sure snake handling is biblically sound practice. Walking around with deadly snakes strikes me as trying to force Jesus to save you. It seems a lot like the devil tempting Jesus to jump off a temple and force God to save him.
You mess with the snake you get the fangs.
If murder is constitutionally protected, (infanticide) then self murder (suicide) must also be protected.
That is my take.
There is nothing of what that man did that should be protected. A civilized society would have shut them down, enforced the laws currently on the books of the state of KY prohibiting the use of reptiles in a religious service, and incarcerated anyone caught taking kids to such services on child abuse charges.
Agreed...Neither the public nor his minor children should have to pay a price for his beliefs and that’s where some faith healers take it too far in denying medical care for those minors.
OK.. He had adult children.. wouldn’t he have been wise to take that into consideration before engage in such idiocy?
At least he didn’t take a bus load of people, or
a pizza parlor full of teenagers with him in his
quest for god.
There’s Laws of Man, and there’s Laws of Nature.
One group you may be able to get away with violating, one you can’t.
You’re correct. It’s a misapplication of Jesus’ words.
“There is nothing of what that man did that should be protected. A civilized society would have shut them down...”
I think you have a valid viewpoint.
But then, where does it end?
For example, shouldn’t partaking in extreme sports be shut down over the same concerns for safety?
What business does the state of KY have attempting to criminalize behavior you or I view as stupid (and which is in fact pretty dumb)? What activity is there that they may not ban?
aftermath of an early snake bite suffered by Pastor Jamie Coots: in accordance with his beliefs, he did not seek medical attention for the bite, and lost part of his finger as a result
http://cdn.previously.tv/m/2013-09-10-snake-salvation2.jpg
http://previously.tv/snake-salvation/snake-handling-great-can-downside/
Ummmm,
Stupid should hurt?
“OK.. He had adult children.. wouldnt he have been wise to take that into consideration before engage in such idiocy?”
I agree. (Although his Father and Grandfather did it and I think his adult son does it).
But, the comment about winning the Darwin Award - that he doesn’t actually qualify — has nothing to do with your moral and ethical consideration that I agree with. Separate issue.
My comment is that people screaming Darwin Award don’t even understand it. It’s really just an aside in response to yahoos making ignorant comments.
He paid in full for his belief system however screwy.
He tosses the rattler at me that is something different.
But as far as I can tell he never tried to force someone else to do it.
He did it for religion, Steve Irwin did it for fun and knowledge. In both cases none of my beeswax.
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