Snake-Handlers
The Snake-Handlers is a cult within Christianity that is practiced or at some time has been practiced by various denominations. Many denominations that now exist have handled snakes in the pasts. These include Baptists, Pentecostals, Quakers, Methodists, etc. The Assemblies of God handled snakes until 1923. The church of God handled snakes until 1934. The Pentecostal Holiness churches handled snakes until the 1980's. These movements at least in the sense of the term mainline have deviated away from this practice. In the nineteenth century, the practice of snake-handling was common among Baptists and Methodists. Part of this is due to the integration of uneducated African Americans who took a Bible passage that talks about disciples being bitten and taken in the venom of snakes without it affecting them. The passage is Mark 16:15-19. Many churches that ascribe to some of the sects listed above still do handle snakes. In the mountains of West Virginia, snake handling occurs among Independent Baptist Churches. In the North Carolina Mountains, snake-handling occurs among different Pentecostal groups. For the most part, the practice has plummeted in popularity ever since other Christian activist groups got involved. Though, whenever an individual is in the mountains and wants to go to church on their vacation, they better watch out because lurking all round the mountains in various parts of the Southeast in America are churches that still regularly practice snake-handling.
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