Snake handling is a religious
ritual in some Christian churches in the U.S., usually characterized as rural and
fundamentalist. Practitioners believe it dates to antiquity and quote the
Bible to support that belief, especially:
- "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." (Mark 16:18)
- "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." (Luke 10:19)
