‘Snake Salvation’ reality show pastor Jamie Coots dies of snake bite

‘Snake Salvation’ reality show pastor Jamie Coots dies of snake bite

MIDDLESBORO, Ky. — Jamie Coots, a snake-handling Kentucky pastor who appeared on the National Geographic television reality show "Snake Salvation," died Saturday after being bitten by a snake.

Coots was handling a rattlesnake during a Saturday night service at his Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name Church in Middlesboro when he was bit, another preacher, Cody Winn, told WBIR-TV (on.wbir.com...).

"Jamie went across the floor. He had one of the rattlers in his hand, he came over and he was standing beside me. It was plain view, it just turned its head and bit him in the back of the hand ... within a second," Winn said.

When an ambulance arrived at the church at 8:30 p.m., they were told Coots had gone home, the Middlesboro Police Department said in a news release. Contacted at his house, Coots refused medical treatment.

Well, that's fine with me that he refused treatment. Perhaps it will have a ripple effect so that idiots won't handle venomous snakes anymore.

But...when doing a search for this - I saw a thread from back in 2009 that said Kentucky had outlawed such recklessness.
The story here mentions that as well:

In 1995, 28-year-old Melinda Brown, of Parrottsville, Tenn., died after being bitten at Coot's church by a 4-foot-long timber rattlesnake. Her relatives disputed accounts that the mother of five had been holding the snake that bit her and disagreed with witnesses who said she refused medical treatment as she suffered the effects of the venom for two days at Coots' home.

The Bell County attorney at the time wanted to prosecute under a 1942 state law that made it illegal to handle or display snakes during religious services. But the judge refused to sign the criminal complaint.

Well - hmmmm.

"Stupid is as stupid does"??

What do you guys think about this?? I think the man deserved what he got - especially for misleading people.

Here's what the judge had to say:

"If the court thought that a trial would act to deter future snake handling in church, my decision would be different," Bell District Judge James Bowling Jr. wrote to the county attorney. "But you and I both know that this practice is not going to stop until either rattlesnakes or snake handlers become extinct."

Yeah. That.

Posted earlier

www.abovetopsecret.com...

From the embedded link in the extext of the OP:

A little more than a week from Sunday would have been exactly a year since Jamie Coots pleaded guilty to violating Tennessee's exotic animals law. As part of a plea deal, Coots surrendered his vipers.

Repeat offender.

I'll have to look into what happened in Tennessee - since Coots was preaching and handling poisonous snakes in Kentucky on this fateful occasion. I wonder how his congregation will react - think that he was "of the devil" and not "protected by God" after all??

reply to post by Indigent


Aw crap!!! I did several searches!! (I was surprised someone hadn't posted it yet!! Even "Jamie Coots" returned nothing.)
Thanks.

Mods, do your thing.

Okay, I see it was posted in "Other Current Events" - maybe the mods will allow a dupe post in this forum, since it deals with the 'religious' aspect of it (although I see that issue is being handled over there, too...)

reply to post by wildtimes


I was going to post it too because the name gave nothing in the search but when i open the forum i saw it

reply to post by wildtimes

I think the sects that use this practice are completely misunderstanding the point of the statement they find at the end of Mark.
The message was supposed to be "God will help them in dangerous situations, such as..." It was not meant as a command or invitation to actively seek out dangerous situations.
Deliberately seeking out danger was one of the "temptations in the wilderness"- "Throw yourself down from the Temple". These pastors are making the mistake that Jesus avoided.

reply to post by DISRAELI


These are the same folks who misread "speaking in tongues" as well, aren't they?

It doesn't mean "gibberish" - it means no matter what language the speaker uses, the hearers will understand it in their own 'tongue' (language).

Gha.

reply to post by wildtimes

I don't think the two groups coincide, though they may overlap.
I get the impression that "handling snakes" is less wide-spread as a practice.

He refused medication?

No pity here then, what an idiot.

KNOXVILLE (WATE) - A snake handling preacher from Kentucky had his snakes confiscated while traveling through Knoxville, and now he wants them back.

The pastor's five snakes were taken after he was pulled over by a Knoxville Police Department officer on Interstate 40 on Jan. 31. The officer pulled Pastor Gregory Coots, of Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus' Name, in Middlesboro, Ky., over for his windows being tinted, and then discovered the snakes in the back seat.

Earlier that same day Coots was pulled over by Tennessee Highway Patrol for speeding, but was not cited.

In the state of Tennessee it is illegal to have any type of poisonous snake.

So - the story is he was travelling through Tennessee with the snakes, which he paid $800 for. They were confiscated and sent to a zoo...

www.wate.com...

Fancy that. Misunderstanding a made up book of falsehoods, molesting poisonous snakes, and dying.

And they're allowed to.

darwinism at it's finest courtesy of le bible.

I have no problem with spiritual people, but a huge problem with spiritual zealots who do stupid things. I understand this man was deeply ingrained with the concept of Jesus and wanted to help others, and I'm no Bible scholar but wasn't Jesus a healer? Didn't he go around healing people? Either it was magick or divine powers but allegedly people were healed and miracles were performed..Sooooooo in my eyes this pastor had absolutely NO reason to refuse medical service had he wished to continue living..I'm sure if he got the anti-venom treatment he would continue to do his snake services and preach helping the congregation. Jesus loves and forgives people right? I don't think there would of been an issue with this pastor admitting "hey im likely to die if i don't use this medicine". It is called modern medicine for a reason, we aren't living in the stone age anymore

reply to post by ThinkYouSpeak

I have no problem with spiritual people, but a huge problem with spiritual zealots who do stupid things. I understand this man was deeply ingrained with the concept of Jesus and wanted to help others, and I'm no Bible scholar but wasn't Jesus a healer?

Are we sure about Coots' agenda? He was on TV doing this nonsense; encouraging his congregation to believe bunk.

Did he really want to "help others"? Or was he just another Snakebite Salesman'? Maybe the Snake Oil Salesman was out with the flu and couldn't be there....

also .... there was mention (either here or on the other thread) that the snakes used are often "de-venomed" before use in 'entertainment' venues.

This guy was an idiot. Thanks for your post. Wonder if Nat Geo will try to "replace" him? Certainly can't "rehire" him....LOL

Yeah, the croc hunter got killed, and others who deal with 'dangerous animals' - a lady got beheaded by a lion in an exotic animal rescue agency not long ago...
If that's what floats people's boats - fine - they KNOW they are in danger.

I used to be an avid horsewoman: brought them up from birth to 'trail horses', taught people (kids and adults) horse-wrangling and safety...

was I doing it to promote bull# religious twists? No. And eventually I "aged out" of it - I knew my own fragility (having suffered a broken wrist and broken toes as well as some nasty falls, being run over, knocked down, pulled up off the ground and stomped on...) and lost my ability to not "be afraid". Time to quit.

Yeah, this guy deserved it. I hope they shut down the church, rather than having some 'successor' doing the same stupid thing.
Doy.

Yeah, I just went back to my "My ATS" list, and a new post in the thread about those terrorists who blew themselves up with a carbomb was listed right after mine.

Iraq militants 'killed by own bomb while filming video'
www.abovetopsecret.com...

reply to post by sn0rch

Misunderstanding a made up book of falsehoods, molesting poisonous snakes, and dying.

And they're allowed to.

darwinism at it's finest courtesy of le bible.

A good argument, perhaps, for not allowing the "uninitiated" to have the information at all.
Indeed.

Wow he was crazy to believe in such nonsense!

He should've stuck to believing in a re-animating corpse that cares about your sex life, because that's perfectly normal.....

reply to post by wildtimes


This was definitely a golden post. I've only seen a commercial for the show so i can't comment on his agenda but it seems he was content with big TV cutting him a check, but not taking medical services from these newfangled doctor quacks.

Also i'm not too sure on what purpose a venomous snake serves in a church setting, aren't they..you know...typically called the great evil or snake of Satan? Reminds me a lot of steve irwin he had an EXTREMELY dangerous job and i'm fairly certain he understood it was dangerous and accepted it. Maybe coots' was under the impression nothing could happen to him and refused to accept the possibility of death/injury?

I'd chaulk this up to foolishness

I watched this series on TV. I was once invited by a friend to got to church with them, little did I know it was a Snake handling church. One guy had one wrapped around his neck, as they sung. I have to say that was the craziest church ive ever gone too, Falling tot he ground and shaking violently, speaking in tongue, using snakes, I couldnt get out of that church fast enough, bunch of insane people, that think God is going to protect them from everything dangerous, is even more dangerous

I dint knew this was a real thing the first time i saw Moe say this



Its sad but around 40% of what i know comes from Simpsons/South park