Story Archive

Didn’t Eve Make a Similar Mistake?

Mark Wolford was there when his father died, in 1983. His father was a Pentecostal pastor who believed the faithful should “take up serpents” as mentioned in the book of Mark, and for him that meant poisonous snakes. He had them in church, and in 1983 one bit him. He refused medical treatment (“it will by no means hurt them,” Mark continues; “they will recover.”) He died after 10-1/2 hours of agony, his son by his side. Wolford followed in his father’s footsteps: he’s also a Pentecostal preacher in West Virginia, and also uses snakes in church. He recently prodded followers to come for a special service, noting on Facebook he was “looking for a great time this Sunday” since it was the day after his 44th birthday. “Praise the Lord and pass the rattlesnakes, brother!” he wrote. Sure enough, he was bitten during the service. After failing to recover, someone finally called paramedics, but by the time they got him to a hospital, after 9-1/2 hours of agony, he was dead. (RC/Washington Post) ...I find myself hoping he doesn’t have a son.
Original Publication Date: 17 June 2012
This story is in True’s book collections, in Volume 18.

Is There a Problem on This Page? Let Me Know using the Help button lower right, and thanks.

I believe humanity is held back by the lack of thinking. I provoke thought with examples of what happens when we don’t think, and when we do. This is True is my primary method: stories like this come out every week by email, and basic subscriptions are free. Click here for a subscribe form.

Previous: Act 2, Scene 1

Search for:

Category: