Why We S-s-s-sure Don’t Like S-s-s-snakes
Snakes don’t win popularity contests
Half of the world’s population has a healthy respect for and general fear of snakes. And for good reason. They slither. They’re creepy. They have fangs. And if the right one bites you, you’re dead.
Then there are those people who harbor a paralyzing, extreme fear of the slithering creatures. Their fear migrates from a manageable disgust into sheer panic whenever they hear a hiss or a rustling sound. They freak out when they see a snake or anything resembling one— like a cord or piece of rope. They have an anxiety disorder called ophidiophobia.
Snakes doing bad things
And who can blame them for the intense fear they feel? When has a snake ever gotten good press? Never.
- You walk out the door and one is waiting for you.
- They can block access to your car.
- They can get into your car.
- They attack and can kill our children.
- They will attack and kill grown folks too.
No good snakes in the media
Name one ‘good’ snake in a book or movie. Ok. Master Viper who was one of the intensely cool Furious Five from the Kung Fu Panda movies. I will give you that one. And apparently, in the Jungle Book written by Rudyard Kipling in 1894, Kaa was originally portrayed as Mowgli’s friend.
Besides those instances, you’d be hard pressed to find a snake portrayed in a positive light in any media.
- In the Disney adaptations of Jungle Book, the once friendly Kaa was reworked to be Mowgli’s enemy. Remember how the huge, tree hugging snake sang and hypnotized our boy Mowgli so that he could eat him?
- And what about Nag the black cobra and his wife Nagaina from Rikki-Tikki-Tavi? They both were evil as fire.
- Sir Hiss? He always worked against the hip hero Robin Hood.
- What about Rattlesnake Jake from Rango? He was not to be toyed with.
- Do you remember the terrifying swarm of water moccasins that attacked that guy as he was crossing the river in the Lonesome Dove tv series? He died.
- Who can forget the poor child who stooped down to use the bathroom and got nipped on the bottom by a dastardly rattlesnake in the 1883 tv show? She died, too.
- For the Hogwarts’ loyal: we can’t leave out Nagini, Voldmort’s creepy, slithering loyal companion or the same universe-based Serpent of Slytherin.
- And who can forget that gigantic hissing nightmare in the 1997 movie Anaconda?
Snakes in the Bible
Snakes in the Bible are also bad news.
- The world is a complete wreck today because Eve listened to the snake and fell for its lies.
- Moses and Aaron entered a snake battle royale with the hard-hearted Egyptian pharaoh and his pair of evil sorcerers. Spoiler alert: Moses and Aaron won.
- God sent venomous serpents as a punishment when his people complained and were ungrateful.
- Jesus called the Pharisees a “brood of vipers” and “snakes”.
- John the Baptist also had a few words about snakes for the Pharisees and the Sadducees as well.
- The apostle Paul was bitten by a poisonous snake.
Some good stuff about snakes
Snakes are definitely unpopular animals. FOR GOOD REASONS. But we need them in the world. God put them here for a reason.
Snakes play an important role in many different ecosystems. They eat rodents like mice and squirrels that may carry diseases that are harmful to humans. Some snakes even control the populations of other snakes.
Plus, their venom can be used to make medicines that save human lives. And some people even keep them as pets.
Co-existing with snakes
Half of the world’s population is not going to change their minds about snakes anytime soon. So, it is safe to assume that the snake isn’t going to win any popularity contests.
But as humans continue to expand our footprint across the planet, snakes are going to be encountered. We have to live together with these animals. But we need to be careful.
How do you feel about snakes?
If you liked this article, check out why vultures are important here. You can always try ‘Jesus was not a Vegetarian’ here. Or, read this one about being a considerate billionaire. Subscribe so you don’t miss an article.
Thanks for your time. Thanks for reading.
