Would a real believer in Christianity please stand up and prove s/he's one?

You see, those passages are METAPHORS! ahh!

A 'metaphor' is defined as anything a theist doesn't like. A "truth" is defined as something they like!

These signs were for the apostles and is not the case for all of those who trust in Jesus Christ.

[Barnes]

Them that believe - The apostles, and those in the primitive age who were endowed with like power. This promise was fulfilled if it can be shown that these signs followed in the case of any who believed, and it is not necessary to suppose that they would follow in the case of all. The meaning is, that they would be the result of faith, or of the belief of the gospel. It is true that they were. These signs were shown in the case of the apostles and early Christians. The infidel cannot say that the promise has not been fulfilled unless he can show that this never occurred; the Christian should be satisfied that the promise was fulfilled if these miracles were ever actually wrought, though they do not occur now; and the believer now should not expect a miracle in his case. Miracles were necessary for the establishment of religion in the world; they are not necessary for its continuance now.

I will take up your challenge Sir!

Yet a religious Christian and Bible bashing human ... I am not!

Yet snakes do not worry me at all ...I have no fear because they are not human eaters and even the biggest python is more interested in a more tasty treat than my human meat ... ?

Throw me into the pit!!!

I need no artificial flavor to sweeten the sour taste of your hatred toward your fellow human ... and wonder why you hold such hatred ...when you yourself could be preventing another human from suicide and/or self harm ... you can even be nice and friendly to other people as you use a public forum ... instead of wishing death and pain and ... enjoying to watch somebody die to prove YOUR point ... and when my body is not dead and my being survives ...? How say you then? = will you try to kill me with your own hands? ... will you be so angry that you did not get to see my body dead that you will kill it anyway? = no ... because my soul is not one that you know in the spirit realms because your foot cannot walk in my spiritual realms of light ... can it?

May the Angels shower you with awareness and understanding of your folly?

May your heart see what you say ... may you always see a reflection from the mirror of truth and may Angels watch over your shoulder at all times as you move throughout the realm of this planet the Earth ... for whatever that is worth?

You shall know what you know!!!

'18They 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. '

This verse is not in the original greek scroll, like many other verse it has been added later, why they added this verse I don't know.

The long ending to Mark's Gospel is not found in the oldest manuscripts, and several variant shorter endings exist.

It is not considered part of the original text by the majority of biblical scholars.

That said, there are good reasons why a Christian cannot be totally sure they are such, if they hold to the "never really a Christian" argument for any Christians who cease to be so.

when the bible says;"they shall take up serpents" god is mot saying to literally pick up a rattlesnake! that would be;tempting god./ this verse means; evil shall be all around them but they need not fear being harmed by the evil. u ask why?- because he who is within them is greater then he who is in the world./ now for drinking something poisionious. again you would be tempting god to delibertly drink or eat something you know would most likely kill you!/ this verse is refuring to eating or drinking something that has gone bad. you may become a little sick but you will not die from it./ of course i already know what your thinking! that,that's b.s. //all i can do is tell the truth. i cannot make someone beleive.

Jesus was challenged a similar thing. he was asked this " the scriptures say if you are threatened, an army of angels will save you. why don't you jump of this building to prove that scripture".. you know what he answered.. "you shall not tempt the Lord!".. so yeah, i won't tempt the Lord by seeing if God would protect me from snakes that i intentionally put to harm myself. that's just stupid.. =)

Romans 10:9

...because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Jesus is my risen Savior and Lord.

Luke 4:12

And Jesus, answering, said to him––"It is said: Thou shalt not put to the test the Lord thy God."

I'd take back that offer if I were you. You may not have any Christian friends around you just when you would really, really need them.....

1) Come on folks, the words are simple and precise.

Indeed they are. "these signs shall **follow** them that believe" - not "everyone who believes will have these supernatural abilities".

The people who misread these verses as you do ALL live in Appalachia......

I recommend that you research "snake handling church"

- Jim

Are you threatening them?

By the way I speak a number of languages and have been bitten by a rattlesnake and I am fine.

Didn't JESUS CHRIST himself say not to "tempt" but trust in GOD??

I as a believer do not have to prove myself to you but show you my compassion as in James 1:26.

What have you ever done for those less fortunate???