"THE CONTEMPORARY SCENE
Snake-handling churches in America probably number in the low hundreds. They are mainly located in Kentucky and Tennessee, but also have congregations in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, the Carolina's, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Texas. Each church is autonomous, but many people travel between churches in a fifty to sixty mile radius to share in multiple snake-handling experiences. Approximately 5,000 people actively practice ceremonial snake handling. Periodically, the masses gather for a conference, called a homecoming, to take up serpents in each service.
OTHER DOCTRINAL BELIEFS
Snake-handling churches embrace the
Oneness Pentecostal doctrines, including baptism in the name of Jesus, baptism for remission of sins, the giving of the Holy Ghost subsequent to baptism, and speaking in tongues as the evidence of salvation. Additionally they call upon their members to practice holiness in dress and demeanor Women cannot wear slacks or cut their hair. Members greet each other of the same sex with a "holy kiss." They rarely go to doctors or take medicine.
CONCLUSION
Taking up serpents is not a sign of spirituality. Indian snake charmers have been around for hundreds of years. They are masters of handling poisonous snakes. The ability is intuitive or a skill, and has nothing to do with "the anointing."
Snake-handling churches constitute a narrow branch of Oneness Pentecostalism. The movement is predominantly a rural one. The potential for the movement to grow beyond a few hundred churches is small. Remove snake handling from these churches and the only thing left is a lower middle class version of the United Pentecostal Church."
I don't what your view on the Godhead is handling snakes is just stupid.
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