Pentecostal Holiness Snake Handling: A Family Tradition

My family has lived in Clay County, Kentucky since at least 1840. I researched the US Census data and found my ancestor, Ephriam Bush on my Dad's side, living in Clay County during that time period. He had my great-great grandfather, John Bush, who had my great grandfather, McKinle Bush, who had my grandfather, Taylor Bush, who had my father, Jerry Bush, who had me... all in Clay County, Kentucky. I tell you all this so that you know that my roots grow deep in Southeastern Kentucky and I am very passionate about that and the issues that affect folks still living down there.

For those of you who don't know, Appalachia is a strong breeding ground for arts, crafts, knowledge, and religion. It is one of the most overlooked, unresearched, and absolutely neglected areas in the United States, if not the World. Southeastern Kentucky especially is a place where you can find real, earthy things, especially in religion. Religion is something that I know intimately and can, with great confidence, say that I have some authority on the subject within the context of my own experience. I want to share my experience with you all.