The Year in Oklahoma Politics: Who's More Holy?

Oklahoma politics is never far from religion—of that we can be certain. But this fall's election season provided additional evidence of this political truism.

As you probably do not recall, State Senate District 12 in Creek and Okfuskee counties featured a contest between John Mark Young, a Democrat, and Brian Bingman, a Republican. But what really counted in the fall campaign was their church membership.

According to published reports, Bingman, a Presbyterian, used a telemarketing firm to rebut a so-called push poll by Young, a Baptist. That "poll" apparently claimed that Young was a more conservative Christian than Bingman because of his Baptist affiliation.

We didn't realize that God had a Top Ten List for Protestants. But if Young is right, the Baptists outrank the Presbyterians, not to mention the poor Methodists, Episcopalians, Congregationalists, and—heaven forbid!—Catholics, Jews, Unitarians and other backsliders.

We don't know about the good folks of District 12, but we decline to vote on the basis of which politician sits closer to God.