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Spirituality

Snake-handling preacher dies of snake bite

By T.K. Randall
February 17, 2014 · Comment icon 118 comments

The snakes were handled as part of church services. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 Aaron Goodwin
Pastor Jamie Coots is believed to have died after being bitten on the right hand by a rattlesnake.
Coots had become a well known figure due to his appearances on the National Geographic show "Snake Salvation" which focused on exploring the unusual snake handling practices at his church in Bell County.

According to a report from Middlesboro Police, Coots was bitten on the hand during a service on Sunday night and was found dead in his home at around 10pm after refusing to accept medical assistance.
The experienced snake handler had believed strongly in his use of the animals and often insisted that he could never be bitten as long as he still possessed the power of God.

"We use them in religious ceremonies and I believe as for me, if I don't have them there to use I'm not obeying the word of God," he once said.

Source: WDBJ7.com | Comments (118)




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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #109 Posted by Almagest 10 years ago
Latest - Jamie Coots bite death: Pastor’s son uses same snake that killed dad in church services http://metro.co.uk/2...rvices-4316364/ Well I guess since he failed to make a good impression on his son he's an even bigger idiot. I'm glad they didn't kill the snake though, it's the only character in the story who gets any sympathy from me.
Comment icon #110 Posted by White Crane Feather 10 years ago
Some people hang by their pectorals by hooks, some stick large needles through their face, some wander into the wilderness alone, some isolate themselves in little huts for years at a time, some handle snakes. To each their own.
Comment icon #111 Posted by ambelamba 10 years ago
Being a born-again nihilist, I find the concept of conviction rather foolish.
Comment icon #112 Posted by Almagest 10 years ago
Some people hang by their pectorals by hooks, some stick large needles through their face, some wander into the wilderness alone, some isolate themselves in little huts for years at a time, some handle snakes. To each their own. And they're entitled to do that. Doesn't mean they aren't stupid. I'm sure people think some of my hobbies are stupid, too.
Comment icon #113 Posted by davros of skaro 10 years ago
If these Preachers just let there wives do the Snake handling in the bedroom, and leave the real Snakes to nature, then there would be no problem.
Comment icon #114 Posted by White Crane Feather 10 years ago
And they're entitled to do that. Doesn't mean they aren't stupid. I'm sure people think some of my hobbies are stupid, too. That dosnt mean that they are. Who is the judge of stupid.... Is it you?
Comment icon #115 Posted by fullywired 10 years ago
Some people hang by their pectorals by hooks, some stick large needles through their face, some wander into the wilderness alone, some isolate themselves in little huts for years at a time, some handle snakes. To each their own. I notice you only mentioned strange people and not normal fullywired
Comment icon #116 Posted by maximusnow 10 years ago
This is a complicated argument, where do we draw the line? This could be, give an inch and loose a mile, for multiple freedoms. What if suicide was part of a belief system? Or murder? What if the laws read all singular God worshipers are Hate groups, due to its stance against certain practices? I do not believe in snake handling as a form of worship, but I support their choice to worship in that way. I know that I may die every time I travel in an automobile, but I am not committing suicide by driving. When I give my wife the keys and God forbid she dies in a crash, I am not a murderer. If I b... [More]
Comment icon #117 Posted by Azznerak the Black 10 years ago
Hard to believe that someone who handled poisonous snakes would have been bitten. Next you'll tell me a shark wrestler drowned...
Comment icon #118 Posted by Ryu 10 years ago
Hard to believe that someone who handled poisonous snakes would have been bitten. Next you'll tell me a shark wrestler drowned... Are you being sarcastic? Sometimes it is hard to tell on a forum.


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