WFIE (Evansville, Indiana) 08 November 13 50 snakes seized from 'snake salvation' church
Campbell County, TN (WATE/CNN): A Tennessee preacher known for handling poisonous snakes may have to find a new way to test his faith – wildlife officers seized 50 venomous snakes from the "snake salvation" minister.
"In my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents," Pastor Andrew Hamblin said as he read from his Bible.
Hamblin of the Tabernacle Church of God of Campbell County, TN, takes the Bible literally, using serpents during his services.
On Thursday, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency came and confiscated all 50 of his snakes.
"They say, ‘you know why we're here?" and I said, ‘Sure do,'" Hamblin said. "They were asking me where I kept the snakes at."
Hamblin says he knew this day would come. In Tennessee, it is illegal to possess poisonous snakes, but he says the law is trampling on his religious freedom.
"To me, it's unconstitutional. It's to me telling someone what they can or cannot have in their worship service; it's no different than telling someone they can or cannot have a Bible," Hamblin said.
The TWRA says the snakes are a danger to the public.
"A venomous snake can bite and kill a human being, especially the elderly or the young folks," a TWRA representative said. "You see both of these kinds of folks in and around these snakes at his church, and the containers they're held in aren't very good containers. Some of them are just simple aquariums with broken glass. Snakes can get out of these types of enclosures, and they do all of the time."
Hamblin said he's always been careful to ensure the safety of his congregation, keeping the snakes locked up.
The TWRA says the snakes were also in poor condition. They're now being held at the Knoxville Zoo.
Hamblin says the TWRA's seizure isn't going to stop his church from practicing "snake salvation."
"We're still going to do it, one way or another," Hamblin said. "They might not be kept here like they were, and they might not be kept by anybody, but one way or another, there will still be serpents to be taken up at this church."
Hamblin was cited for possession of Class 1 Wildlife. He is expected to appear in Campbell County, TN court on Nov. 15.
Link