RonD1120 62 #26 February 17, 2014 PiLFy What exactly is handling a venomous Snake supposed to do for these people? I mean, does the snake whisper spiritual growth in their ears? Or, does Mr.Snake not bite them only if they're pure of faith? In other words....WTF ?! It makes me wonder about a lot of things. Like, why would someone get high and make a skydive? Or, why would someone make BASE jumps? We all know someone who has done that, or done it ourselves. Everybody wants to get an edge on life. There are many paths to that rush.Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RonD1120 62 #27 February 17, 2014 Southern_Man ***What exactly is handling a venomous Snake supposed to do for these people? I mean, does the snake whisper spiritual growth in their ears? Or, does Mr.Snake not bite them only if they're pure of faith? In other words....WTF ?! Provides validation for their chosen belief system, promotes in-group bonding, marks them as separate from outside groups, and a host of other social/cultural benefits that are common with religious beliefs and practices (and which are likely beyond the scope of a message board). I am impressed with your understanding and clear explanations in this thread.Look for the shiny things of God revealed by the Holy Spirit. They only last for an instant but it is a Holy Instant. Let your soul absorb them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #28 February 18, 2014 RonD1120 ***What exactly is handling a venomous Snake supposed to do for these people? I mean, does the snake whisper spiritual growth in their ears? Or, does Mr.Snake not bite them only if they're pure of faith? In other words....WTF ?! It makes me wonder about a lot of things. Like, why would someone get high and make a skydive? Or, why would someone make BASE jumps? We all know someone who has done that, or done it ourselves. Everybody wants to get an edge on life. There are many paths to that rush. When skydivers think it's nuts, doesn't that say a lot? My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PiLFy 3 #29 February 18, 2014 I don't do religion. I'll just add this to the "Doesn't make a lot of sense to Me" pile. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #30 February 18, 2014 PiLFy I don't do religion. I'll just add this to the "Doesn't make a lot of sense to Me" pile. I used to handle poisonous snakes all the time when I was a kid... got $5 each for any Eastern DBack I could catch that were 3 foot or better. Big ones... came home and were turned into yummy deep fried snake steaks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boomerdog 0 #31 February 18, 2014 QuoteIt's either 100% the inspired word of God or it isn't. Although most biblical scholars agree that this was not the original ending to Mark and that the original ending is probably lost forever. I'll do my best here in hopes to NOT start a religious/theological feud. First, there is a lot of analysis on the internet from both Protestant and Catholic sources on this text. How this text was translated from it's original language to English must consider the context of the historical moment and times in which it was written. Did Mark write the original text in Greek? Aramaic? Latin? I myself don't know. What I do know is that these three languages don't directly translate to English. Thus, a better understanding is realized by going back to the original language. Finally, does this scripture stand alone or is there other scripture i.e. text in other books of the Bible that can shed further light and explanation on this? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jclalor 12 #32 February 18, 2014 BoomerdogQuoteIt's either 100% the inspired word of God or it isn't. Although most biblical scholars agree that this was not the original ending to Mark and that the original ending is probably lost forever. I'll do my best here in hopes to NOT start a religious/theological feud. First, there is a lot of analysis on the internet from both Protestant and Catholic sources on this text. How this text was translated from it's original language to English must consider the context of the historical moment and times in which it was written. Did Mark write the original text in Greek? Aramaic? Latin? I myself don't know. What I do know is that these three languages don't directly translate to English. Thus, a better understanding is realized by going back to the original language. Finally, does this scripture stand alone or is there other scripture i.e. text in other books of the Bible that can shed further light and explanation on this? The author of mark will most likely never be known. The vast majority of scholars agree that all the gospels were written in Greek. I'm a big Bart Erhman fan myself and read everything he writes, he is one the most respected textual critics out there. Mark was the first Gospel written of the three synoptic gospels, Matthew and Luke both used Mark as a source. Mark used "Q" as a source. It's very apparent the ending of mark was added as the origional made no sense. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #33 February 18, 2014 Looks like the snake gets an opportunity to bump up his score: http://www.tmz.com/2014/02/18/snake-salvation-pastor-jamie-coots-pentecostal-death-snakebite-police-rattlesnake/ "There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Southern_Man 0 #34 February 18, 2014 BoomerdogQuoteIt's either 100% the inspired word of God or it isn't. Although most biblical scholars agree that this was not the original ending to Mark and that the original ending is probably lost forever. I'll do my best here in hopes to NOT start a religious/theological feud. First, there is a lot of analysis on the internet from both Protestant and Catholic sources on this text. How this text was translated from it's original language to English must consider the context of the historical moment and times in which it was written. Did Mark write the original text in Greek? Aramaic? Latin? I myself don't know. What I do know is that these three languages don't directly translate to English. Thus, a better understanding is realized by going back to the original language. Finally, does this scripture stand alone or is there other scripture i.e. text in other books of the Bible that can shed further light and explanation on this? It was written in Greek. The translation is not really an issue in this particular case, as Mark generally and the ending in particular is not difficult Greek. The issue with this particular passage is that most scholars consider Mark 9-20 to be a later addition and not part of the original text. It does not appear in either the Sinaiticus or the Vaticainus the two oldest complete manuscripts of Mark. It appears to have been added relatively early as the first quotation of the longer evidence appears to be by Justin Martyr (d. 163 CE) Many of the manuscript traditions that included it note that there was dispute about its authenticity. Of course this has not really been much of an issue for most of the church's history as Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant traditions have considered it canonical (as they have with other additions such as the story of the woman caught in adultery in John) and thus I would consider it within that tradition to be as authoritative as any other text. Interestingly many of the ancient Ethiopian texts do not include the longer ending but I have no idea whether the Ethiopian Orthodox consider the longer ending canonical or not. A lot has been made of the spurious nature of this text in relationship to snake-handling but probably just because it threatens the more established churches authenticity then because of any logic to it. Snake handlers also seek validation for their beliefs in Luke 10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. and in Acts 28 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. Interestingly I just realized that for all I've read and seen in snake handling I have never come across any mention of working with scorpions."What if there were no hypothetical questions?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GeorgiaDon 379 #35 February 18, 2014 I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised that my rather mean-spirited post has developed into a pretty interesting thread. This is one of those occasions where I'm impressed with how well-read some of our Speaker's Corner citizenry are. Don_____________________________________ Tolerance is the cost we must pay for our adventure in liberty. (Dworkin, 1996) “Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.” (Yeats) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,146 #36 February 19, 2014 More morons!... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
