Kentucky Pastor Arrested

The pastor of a Middlesboro, Ky., church, along with nine others, was arrested July 10, 2008, for illegal trading of venomous snakes.

Gregory Coots, pastor of the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name was charged with buying, selling, and possessing illegal reptiles. Confiscated from his home were 42 copperheads, 11 timber rattlers, three cottonmouth water moccasins, a western diamondback rattler, two cobras, and a puff adder. The snakes were said to have been used in religious services at the church. The practice is illegal in Kentucky.

In all over 100 snakes were confiscated in a sting operation by the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Agency. The snakes, plus an alligator, were taken to a non-profit zoo.

In 1995, a woman was fatally bitten by a rattlesnake during a service at Coots' church. Her husband died 3 years later from a snake bite during a service in Alabama.

So why do these churches handle snakes? They believe the Bible says it is how to show you are a true believer. Mark 16: 17-18 states: "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

It began in the early 1900's when Rev. George Went Hensley, pastor of the Grasshopper, TN, Church Of God , taught that these verses should be taken literally. He preached that if believers had the Holy Spirit within them they should be able to handle venomous snakes. As he preached in Pentecostal churches around the South, snake handling became a popular way for believers to prove their faith. At first the Church of God allowed the practice, but disavowed it in 1922.

Over 100 people have been killed by snakebites during religious services. Many others have been bitten and survived. The practice is illegal in most states.