amateur wrote:I read somewhere that Mark 16:18 in Bible says that Christians don't get harmed even if they drink deadly poison. Did some searching on internet and found this:

Mark 16:18
“They will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” (NIV)

“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.” (KJV)

Few questions:
1. Is this true or is there some misinterpretation/misrepresentation?
2. If it is true, why can't this be used as a qualifying test for any Christian before they are allowed to preach? Is it too much to ask to be preached about Christianity only by true Christians?

Mark 16:9-20 is a later addition by the Church.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_16

Jesus did not ascend to heavens; he did not die on the Cross so there is no question of his ascention.

paarsurrey wrote:

Mark 16:9-20 is a later addition by the Church.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_16

More likely it was an addition by a post-Markan community. To speak of "the Church" before the 5th or 6th century is a little anachronistic...

amateur wrote: If it is true, why can't this be used as a qualifying test for any Christian before they are allowed to preach? Is it too much to ask to be preached about Christianity only by true Christians?

Though most of this chapter- Mark:16 seems to be a later addition; but there is no harm if those who insist that it is true; they should be tested with this litmus test.

Jesus was a Jew and he told in very clear terms that he has been sent by the Creator God for guidance of the Jews; this chapters opens false christianity invented by Paul to other nations; so it does not beling to Jesus.

There is no harm if this test is offered to the Head Priest of the Christianity.

An online acquaintance told me that his grandfather was a traveling Christian preacher who regularly ate some poison (not sure whether it was cyanide or somesuch) in small portions to impress on congregations, it made quite an impression and convinced people he was a Man of God.

Now, turns out whatever poison he ate bioaccumulates, and there's nothing about eating small amounts of it that's acutely dangerous. Turns out it turns your brain to mulch a few decades down the line if you do it a lot, though. Which was what happened to this guy.

A fitting end if he knew that it was a deceptive practice, and something he brought on himself even if he didn't know why the stunt worked. (Apparently, this was a common stunt at the time among Christian preachers in the area. At least some of them have to had known what they had coming.)