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Faith

Snake-handling pastor gets bitten by snake, dies

May. 30, 2012 2:29pm Eddie Scarry

Now, you see what happens?

Mark Wolford, a Pentecostal pastor in West Virginia, was known for leading a church that speaks in tongues and handles snakes. In November last year he told the Washington Post, “Anybody can do it that believes it.”

Looks like that’s not quite true. On Sunday while leading a service, Wolford was bitten by one of his snakes and died.

About 30 minutes into the service, his sister said, Wolford passed a yellow timber rattlesnake to a church member and his mother.

“He laid it on the ground,” she said, “and he sat down next to the snake, and it bit him on the thigh.”

Of note: Wolford’s father was also a snake handler and also died of a snake bite in 1983. Is there something in the water?

[Washington Post]

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Comments (15)

IfeMovement.org
Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:59am
Looking for the “OBVIOUS” button.

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blackyb
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 4:59am
Do not handle or play with snakes. Snakes bite. A snake is a snake is a snake.

The power is in the Word of God. The word is sharper than a two-edged sword. You do not need a snake or a hippopotamus to get a point across. When the Word is in Truth that is all you need. The drama with a snake sets a poor example for people, especially young people. That preacher is dead because he wanted someone to think he was special and God would protect him, and he was tempting the snake to bite him. Snakes bite. A poison snake will kill you. All that demonstrates is that some people seem to want to play with God’s power and that is not something God lets out to play with. God is not in the playing business. He is not into magic and such just to make people look special. His power is used to Glorify the Kingdom of God and he uses it to help mankind on His own terms. That is why people have no more power than they do because they would not use it wisely or would use it to harm others. People are just plain not trustworthy.

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margswarnabhoomi
Posted on May 31, 2012 at 2:04am
this is really very bad .
marg swarnabhoomi

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Dr Vel
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 10:58pm
If those people were rightly dividing the Word they would not tempt God with their life by carelessly handling deadly creatures. The scriptures they use were really saying we would have power over evil spirits, not rattlesnakes. Even the unlearned know the snake has never read the bible. The Word does not contradict, God made snakes deadly, He said do not tempt Him with our life by risking it vainly and foolishly. Jumping off a cliff and shouting God save me is no different. One violates God’s law of nature (the snake venom), the other violates God’s law of gravity. Either way dead is dead.

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- Chuck Stein
  Posted on May 31, 2012 at 2:39am
  You got it, Doc.
  
  Report this comment
proliance
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 8:05pm
I was taught to never speak poorly of the dead. But, boy, am I sure thinking a few things.

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MSrebel
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 6:21pm
Jesus made it clear to Satan, no man (including himself) should “put Jehovah, your God, to the test.” The Holy Spirit is not to protect the foolish, fearless or feckless, but to accomplish God’s will. If you act stupidly, so shall you die. My heart goes out to those misled by the originator of lies and sin, Satan; the great deciever and so to be “former” ruler of this system of things. Matthew Chapter 4.

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GoodStuff
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 6:04pm
These aren’t the brightest people in the world. God is not mocked. Do not test God. The Bible does not say we SHOULD go out and handle venomous snakes, it says they will pick up snakes, and drink poison and not be hurt. That is a statement, not a COMMAND by God to handle venomous snakes. Pentacostalism is pretty silly.

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jedi.kep
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 4:57pm
STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You stupid foolish Christian. What a horrible thing to die from stupidity! The Bible told you to RENEW your mind…not REMOVE your mind!!! I’m glad you made it to Heaven, but when I get there I’m going to Gibbs slap you.

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JayVee
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 3:53pm
Did he not even have antivenin on hand? Big whoopsie…

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- Tom K
  Posted on May 30, 2012 at 4:19pm
  @ JAYVEE : Just one more thing – does the church have anti-venom, a snake bite kit AND a few trained in snake bite treatment ? You know, just in case anyone’s faith is a little weak. DANG !
  
  Report this comment
Independent American
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 3:10pm
What were his last words again?

“If I’m lyin’, I’m dyin’.”

Followed by a gasp then a thud.

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- MSrebel
  Posted on May 30, 2012 at 6:24pm
  Funny! Sad, but funny.
  
  Report this comment
Tom K
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 3:09pm
If it killed your Daddy, it just MIGHT kill you, too ! Must have hit his femoral artery and circulated that poison very fast. Did Rev. Wolford have a son and what line of work did he choose ?

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epicwinofgod
Posted on May 30, 2012 at 3:04pm
Does Genesis not portray snakes for their true nature? Seriously, a pastor and a snake. Two conflicting ideologies in them self. An example, a good one, was made from his own upholding views of himself.

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