If Only:

From Pastor Hamblin's Facebook page.

If I had Pastor Hamblin's faith, I could do anything.That's a rattlesnake he's holding, and it's deadly. He handles serpents to demonstrate his faith in god.

The practice is based on Mark  16:17-18 from the King James version of the bible: And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (18) 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.

Snake handling is frequently lethal. In 2012, Pastor Mark Wolford died from a snakebite to his thigh. His father before him also died of a snakebite. If it wasn't deadly, it wouldn't be a true test of faith. Possible death is the point.

Snake handling preachers are more than mere pastors, they're prophets, able to perform minor miracles and inspire people to speak in tongues. If only I had that kind of faith in anything.