The article explained that not only does this research show venoms can be a "time capsule" for biodiversity, it is also important for drug discovery and development, as venom often contains a number of unexplored and useful compounds. This is how anti-venom is derived.
Then we read about the same time where a man who had killed a black snake by cutting it in two was afterwards bitten by the dead snakes head – and learnt that the venom was still active.
There appears to be similar evidence for many other venom carrying creatures, that the venom does not immediately become void of its deadly nature, rather any misadventure, whether that be in the sea or on land, will result in the deadly mixture remaining toxic.
One of our New Zealand young emerging writers has a family member living in Perth and commented on his Facebook page how he would feel so unsafe living in Australia with so many venomous creatures to contend with – snakes, spiders, the sea, on the land, in fact, anywhere in Australia.
I'm an Australian who has grown up with all this - initially in Mackay the land of the Taipan snake the deadliest of them all and the deadly Box Jellyfish, and my high school years in Canberra with the deadly Brown snake and the Red Back (on the toilet seat) and then Sydney and the south coast of NSW living with the world's deadliest spider, the Funnel Web, usually in the garden around the display rocks n the garden rocks.
According to death statistics in Australia it's far more likely you will die from a home accident or possibly a motor vehicle accident and higher up the stats still are heart attacks and strokes. (www.news.com.au)
Greater wounds than these
Greater wounds than any of these the Scripture retort are twofold, that which will lose your soul on the one hand, and that which is damaging to your heart as is the Christian's lot from both outside the family of God and more likely the inside.
Fear not that which will destroy your body so the Bible announces to the first, rather a far worse result is to find yourself before the Living God without the correct answer to the greatest of all question, what did you do about Jesus?
The Reverend Dr Rowland Croucher the Pastor's Pastor has dealt for 40 years with pastors / ministers / priests who have been destroyed by a false document or a lying or misleading tongue.
This venom has a longer lasting destructive power than that which is stored in the scientific lab and entire families have been ruined by such actions. They have been ruined in terms of character and reputation let alone the capacity to provide an income for their family's well-being.
The scriptures are forensic in their examination of such action and its destructive nature and in this world, there is very little that can occur to bring such wicked announcements to book.
Recently, speaking to such a pastor, found himself in the unenviable situation of having being seen as outstaying his welcome in a particular church by one powerful family group within that congregation. He thought there was more to do in his ministry with that congregation, whereas this family were of the opinion it was time for him to go to another environ.
Dr Croucher deals with these situations in his web site ministry where he discusses classic situations where the false claim becomes the reality for so many who have not the skills to determine fact from fiction in church and mission life. (www.jmm.org)
I for one am always fascinated by television crime shows where such scenarios as this are played out in the public arena of life and the detectives (or whomever) sift through the red-herrings until finally the light is revealed. In real life, this rarely happens, rather people live with the consequences of injustice.
Griffith University's Innocence Project is another of these devastating situations where people have been banged up for crimes they did not commit. Family Wills are another source of great anxiety and torment where a new party becomes involved long after the children have left the coup and "got the lot" (as it were).
So where does this leave us in our every day lives. Exercise caution, care and good-will but be ever alert but not alarmed. As Solomon says, there is nothing new under the sun!
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html