Snakes And Bulls

Last month a Kentucky Preacher, Jamie Coots, died shortly after being bitten by a rattlesnake and then not seeking medical attention. The star of the reality television show, Snake Salvation, was handling the reptile during a church service when it attacked. I can’t even begin to comprehend the thought behind handling those scaly creatures, especially in a church setting, because if I remember correctly the slithering snake in the Garden of Eden was up to no good. Mr. Coots had previously been bitten by other snakes during his career, but he was very vocal on his stance that they could not kill true believers of God. I guess the now former pastor either did not have enough faith, or more likely he was just plain wrong in his way of thinking.

There’s quite a difference between belief and absurdity; however, that knowledge seems to be lost in this case because the son of the late Mr. Coots has taken over the pastoral duties of the church, and he insists on handling the exact snake that took his father’s life. I can’t say I’m a fan of any snake, and just the thought of watching the movie, Snakes on a Plane, raises my blood pressure a bit. There has to be some sane reason why God created the ugly reptiles, but I haven’t figured that one out yet. I think it takes a certain kind of courage, or possibly mere stupidity, to even be in the same vicinity as them. The Coots Family defends the “killer snake.” They eagerly divulge that the snake was raised by them, and it had never bitten anyone before.

This reminds me of so many Pit-bull attack cases I’ve seen on Judge Judy. The owner of the aggressive dog almost always says their pet is so sweet, gentle, and would never hurt anyone. That is until it eventually tears someone to shreds. The truth as I know it is that all dogs with any Pit-bull blood in them whatsoever should be euthanized for the safety of all humans. That is coming from an animal lover, excluding cats of course, who is against animal exploitation of any kind. I am the guy who roots for the bull at rodeos. I also have no sympathy for those who are trampled on, or gored, during bull runs. Having a healthy fear of all wild animals seems like common sense to me.