A snake handling preacher has vowed to
continue worshipping with deadly rattlesnakes
despite the threat of jail - and being bitten four
times.
Andrew Hamblin, 22, is a pastor at the
Tabernacle Church of God in the Appalachian
mountains outside La Follette, Tennessee.
The church is part of century-old Pentecostal
tradition in the region that takes literally an
instruction in the Gospel of Mark that 'they shall
take up serpents.'
But the defiant preacher faces up to a year in
prison after being charged with illegally
possessing 53 venomous snakes seized from his
church by Tennessee wildlife agency officers
earlier this month.
Under the laws of the state anyone owning
venomous snakes, even zoos and circuses, must
apply for permits and comply with specific
requirements to guarantee public safety.
His devotion has left him crippled as he is unable
to make a fist following a snakebite on the
knuckle which almost killed him in 2010.
'I was at death's door,' he said. 'Me and death
were just about ready to smoke a cigarette
together.'
He believes his recovery is a direct result of
God's will and cites another serious bite - this
time to the neck - sustained soon after as proof
that he is protected from harm by his faith.
The incident left his shirt soaked in blood but he
says he escaped serious injury adding: 'I never
swelled, I never itched, I never suffered nothing
but bleeding.'
And despite the physical threat and appearing in
court Mr Hamblin has continued worship with the
huge rattlesnakes thrust above his head after his
followers helped smuggle in new creatures after
the previous batch were confiscated.
They claim that they are victims of a state
crackdown after another preach Jamie Coots had
two copperheads confiscated after being stopped
while driving home through Tennessee earlier this
year.
During the raucous services, worshippers dance,
bang tambourines, speak in tongues and handle
the 3ft long animals believing that they are
protected from danger by God.
Speaking to the Telegraph he said: 'I'm willing to
fight this, because here in the United States we're
supposed to be guaranteed our religious freedom
under the first amendment of the constitution.
'We're Christians who believe in being saved by
the blood of Jesus Christ just like any other - it's
not like we're part of some different religion. I do
feel it is an attack upon our religious freedom.'
Mr Hamblin said he was called on by God to
handle the creatures, and that their appearances
were shows of divine power. He has also likened
the practice to 'Catholics using wine.'
However these claims have been dismissed by
authorities who maintain that the practices
constiture a serious 'public safety hazard.'
Matthew Cameron, a wildlife agency spokesman
said: 'We treat him just as we would anyone else
found to be storing venomous snakes in their
home.

The presence of children at the services, including
Mr Hamblin's own five, only adds to safety
concerns but Mr Hamblin maintains that only
over 18s ever handle the reptiles.
He added: 'I can understand not wanting to
endanger another's life. That's perfectly
understandable. But in 100 years, there have been
only 10 deaths in Tennessee from serpents.'
Despite this a number of pastors in recent years
have met their demise because of their
unorthodox methods of worship.
Mack Wolford of West Virginia, who led one of the
best-attended snake-handling churches out of an
estimated 125 in the region, was killed by a
timber rattlesnake in May last year.
His own father, also a snake-handling preacher
also died from a rattlesnake bit in the 1980s.
But while dozens of his fellow pastors hold their
services in secret and close their doors to
outsiders, Mr Hamblin is determined to bring his
sect into the mainstream and hopes to found
America's first snake-handling mega-church.
He is due back in court next month, and may face
additional charges but refuses to stop the snakes,
whatever the consequences.

End time thingz

End time church on the loose some1 call d cops

Dnt play with snake o one day e go happen gbam gbam

Misinterpretation of the bible, we all know that DO NOT TEMPT THE LORD YOUR GOD.

Always this Pentecostal churches, why i feel that this are no real Pastors from this churches.

Hmmm, trying to give the church a bad image once again.

"On this rock I will build my church and the gate of Hell will not prevail against it"