Jackson County The Hazards of Handling Snakes; Another Worshipper Injured Jason Miles Reports, 05/29/04 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
The Rock House Holiness Church is located at the end of Jackson County road 415 in the Macedonia community. It's pretty unassuming from the outside. People say that inside, three nights a week, snake handlers do their thing. They take up serpents in the name of God. "They're a bunch that's got religious beliefs and are faithful to them," says neighbor Thurman Hammond. Hammond says the handlers are good people. He just doesn't share their bizarre beliefs. "When you go to church, you're supposed to worship," says Hammond. "They do that and I do that, but I don't have to take up serpents and I really think it's a bad thing to do," he adds. One young man learned that the hard way Friday night. Emergency officials says he was bitten by a snake inside the Rock House Church. He was badly injured, but expected to survive. It's the same church in which a Tennessee preacher died from a rattlesnake bite in October of 1998. "Actually, myself, I'm scared of snakes," says one Macedonia resident. Other who live in the area respect those who are not afraid of handling snakes. "You know, it's their religion," says Tim Wilburn. "If it's what they want to do, it's fine," he adds. "They don't hurt anybody but themselves," says Thurman Hammond. However, he thinks the practice of taking up serpents should be outlawed. "Especially around small kids, because they're going to learn what their elders do," says Hammond. He says he's sad to say that there are no signs of the practice stopping. For many who live on Sand Mountain, sadder still is the stigma associated with snake handling. "It hurts the area because they think everybody does it and you know, there's very few in this area that do," he adds. For the people who do take up snakes, it's a leap of faith they are apparently more than willing to take. By the way, the young man bitten by a snake Friday night was taken to Jackson County Hospital. His name and condition are not being released. ______________________________________________________ RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net
