On Feb 18, 2014, Kentucky pastor, snake-handler, faith-healer, and TV personality, Jamie Coots, died from a snake bite for which he refused treatment.
He believed (as I understand it) that he was following scripture by handling venomous snakes during his service.
In no way do I believe in or support his ministering practices; in fact, I have a hard time refraining from—pffff—a typical response.
I was listening to the song, “Ignorance,” when I found out.
If I really want to make fun of him, though, I should know the facts. But making fun seems too easy. Maybe I’ve got some ignorance to wrestle with as well. With a little wondering, how close to understanding, even respect, can I come?
Only two generations back on my mother’s side, the family has a branch of Christian Scientists. They don’t believe in modern medical intrusion, either. My great-uncle died from an illness easily-treated through medical attention. (But then, he lived into his 90’s as well.)
“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.” (Mark 16.17-18, KJV)
Apparently, mainstream Pentecostals keep their distance from snake-handlers, because they are simply bad for PR. Pentecostals focus on the Speaking in Tongues aspect of the previous passage.
Coots congregation, now run by his son, has only 20 members.
Snake-handling does sound like a traveling-circus act (two bits to see the snake charmer, come on in). At least two documentaries made him their focus. He also had a television show.
It does take skill, though. Practiced skill. A lifetime’s full. Under undeniable threat.
When I came close to sliding off a mountain road in the dark long ago, I have never felt so focused. I rose to the challenge and did everything I knew how to do. But that’s all I could do. (Well, that’s all I knew how to do, wanted to do.)
Snakes are a deadly threat. Coots had already been bitten at least twice before. According to his faith, handling snakes plus recovering from the bites made him Holy.
There aren’t many animals more threatening in appearance or actuality than snakes.
The snake is a powerful religious image. It is also a fantastic metaphor: filled with Evil (or poisonous venom), the snake injects that Evil (or venom) into the body, corrupting (systemically damaging) it.
The snake can be avoided, but like my driving experience, clarity (or faith) doesn’t truly get tested until it meets a worthy challenge. After the crisis, we feel thankful (or Thankful) and uplifted.
I respect faith, but not blind faith. Except that blind faith, now that I think about it, is faith. Not always pleased about flying, the one moment I dread takes place on the runway when the plane begins to accelerate beyond the speed with which we’re familiar. (And for some reason, we can feel everything.) At the point, I realize I have absolutely no control. The only solution is to let go and trust in (the pilot) something other than me.
As a child (innocent?), I loved the taking off part.
Blind faith. Jonestown? When you follow a leader and not the faith itself? How do most people do that? Drink the Kool-Aid (handle the snakes?). What? Why? Who are you, anyway? Faith is hard for me to wrestle with. I certainly don’t feel that Coots was a cult leader, although many of the signs might be there.
So is this Institutionalized Crazy or (even remotely) a legitimate expression of faith? I think Jamie Coots believed. His followers and his son, too. I am always suspicious of the Bible as literal truth (which passage do you mean?). But I think I get it on a really basic level. It doesn’t threaten me. People do die, apparently; but if they know what they’re getting into, that doesn’t seem horrible.
And what about me? I don’t have that kind of faith or that kind of focus. I believe I have a purpose and a meaningful path, but it doesn’t necessarily connect to many other people. I don’t think that’s too healthy. Yet I’m not searching, other than to wonder about a guy who recognized God on the other end of poisonous snakes. He had more conviction than I do.
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Its lyrics and video are not necessarily profound—or even applicable through anyone else's eyes, but Paramore's "Ignorance" stuck in my head throughout this process.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH9A6tn_P6g&feature=youtube_gdata_player
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Image credits: wbir at news.softpedia.com
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