Deadly Bite Inside A Snake Handling Church

On 18 Feb. 2014, Pastor Jamie Coots died after being bitten by a poisonous snake in a controversial religious practice.

The 10th time he'd been bitten and the 10th and final time he refused medical treatment. He's one of the community of Christians who say vipers are as vital to their services as the bible itself.

Pastor Coots and his followers believe they are called by god to handle venomous serpents. It comes from a passage from the bible that they take literally.

“They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them…” (Mark: 16:18)  

Pastor Jamie Coots: "I know its life or death every day. I realize that. I choose that. I believe this is what the bible means".

Pastor Coots refused treatment. Cody Coots, the pastor's son: "I was just standing there, and I seen him get bit. And he dropped the snakes. And he picked them back up… He always told me you get bit you either die at home or god brings you through".



Mark 16:9-20 has been called a later addition to the Gospel of Mark by most New Testament scholars in the past century. The main reason for doubting the authenticity Mark 16:9-20 is that it does not appear in some of the oldest existing witnesses, and it is reported to be absent from many others in ancient times by early writers of the Church. Moreover, the ending has some stylistic features which also suggest that it came from another hand. The Gospel is obviously incomplete without these verses, and so most scholars believe that the final leaf of the original manuscript was lost, and that the ending which appears in English versions today (verses 9-20) was supplied during the second century. Regarding this, in following video on Religious Hard Talk, a courageous Christian Theologian (SDA Professor) explains the Bible’s current state of authenticity.