Saturday, January 18, 2014

Serpent-handling pastor Mark Wolford dead after snake bite

The headline for this should be death by stupid.

Pentecostal pastor Mark Wolford, 44, hosted an outdoor service at the Panther Wildlife Management Area in West Virginia Sunday, which he touted on his Facebook page prior to the event.

"I am looking for a great time this Sunday," Wolford wrote May 22, according to the Washington Post. "It is going to be a homecoming like the old days. Good 'ole raised in the holler or mountain ridge running, Holy Ghost-filled speaking-in-tongues sign believers."

Robin Vanover, Wolford's sister, told the Washington Post that 30 minutes into the outdoor service, Wolford passed around a poisonous timber rattlesnake, which eventually bit him.

"He laid it on the ground," Vanover said in the interview, "and he sat down next to the snake, and it bit him on the thigh."

Source: 'Serpent-Handling' West Virginia Pastor Dies From Snake Bite

This whole snake-handling theater act is meant to show faith in God. Faith that can overcome a snake bite. Did we need more proof that this is approach does not work? Do I need to show respect simply because it is a religious observance? Can I make fun of these idiots without fear of some nutter filling up my inbox with hate? The stupid makes my brain hurt. 

3 comments:

iikagenbob said...

In cases like these, all I can do is laugh. One Darwin award for the good pastor. Yes someone died, but I feel nothing for an idiot who kills themself through such utter stupidity.

Ggreybeard said...

I wonder how much money the event raised?

Those who attended should be angry that he took their cash and risked the lives of everyone there, before losing his own.

However, they will be eulogising this arrogant fool instead and saying he's with the angels now...

Mike aka MonolithTMA said...

He's not the first to be killed by brainwashing, nor, sadly, will he be the last.

I don't view this any differently than cool-aid swilling cultists, though, hopefully his stupid sacrifice will be a warning to others. Sadly, some will just say his faith wasn't strong enough, or that he had some hidden sin in his life.