Scissor Tales: Saturday, June 28, 2008
Scissor Tales: Saturday, June 28, 2008

Published: June 28, 2008

THIS is Saturday. A small number of Oklahomans (Jewish, Messianic Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventists, etc.) are attending a religious service today. Yesterday a small number did as well (Muslims). Tomorrow, many will (Catholics, mainline Protestants, evangelicals, etc.).

The percentage of Oklahomans who attend a service on one or more of the three Sabbath days each week is much higher than the nation as a whole. As the Tulsa World put it, "A national survey proves that Oklahoma continues to be a vital buckle on the Bible Belt.”

Oklahomans buckle up and go to church in large numbers, despite a decline in religious interest worldwide. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life says 50 percent of Oklahomans attend a service at least once a week, compared with 39 percent nationally. Six out of 10 Oklahomans say they pray at least once a day. Oklahoma is one of only three states (the others are Arkansas and Tennessee) in which adherence to an evangelical Protestant tradition eclipses all other expressions of worship.

That buckle on the Bible Belt is thus studded with Baptists and other evangelicals. In other parts of the nation, the Catholic tradition may dominate. In at least one state, Mormonism dominates. Here, it's the evangelicals.

The Pew findings go hand in hand with reports that Oklahomans are generous with their money when it comes to charitable giving. This is a state that prays together and opens its wallets to the needy.

It also keeps its mind open: Fewer than 30 percent of Oklahomans believe their faith is the only route to heaven. In some states that number is much higher.

The Supreme Court this week said it's unconstitutional to execute someone convicted of raping a child. The ruling hits close to home because Oklahoma is one of four states with such a statute on the books. We were uncomfortable when the Legislature approved the bill two years ago, because while we support the death penalty, we also believe it should be used sparingly. Better to see how well a lifetime tracking system for habitual and aggravated sex offenders works. That system was approved by the Legislature in 2005. As for the Supreme Court's ruling, it was no surprise — the court has shown a growing reluctance to use the death penalty, doing so only for certain murder cases.

Oklahoma City found out a decade ago what a new baseball stadium can mean to a city. Bricktown Ballpark was the first of the MAPS projects to be completed, and it anchored development that continues throughout the downtown area. Tulsa officials are counting on similar good fortune. The city this week announced plans to build the Tulsa Drillers' new stadium in the Greenwood District, handy to Interstate 244. If all goes according to plan, the stadium will be completed in 2010. When that happens, Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor said, "what we'll be seeing on game day will be an area that has been isolated for decades by the Inner Dispersal Loop and the railroad packed with people enjoying themselves.” Play ball!

His Web site describes it only as "Fundraising Reception — Nichols Hills.” Looks to us as though those "fat cats” Democrats hate aren't all Republicans. Monday night's reception for U.S. Senate hopeful Andrew Rice takes place at one of the most posh addresses in Oklahoma, with hosts paying $1,000 each to have their names attached. This doesn't mean you aren't welcome if you can't contribute that much. A "suggested” minimum donation to attend is $125 per couple. Location is the $2.2 million home of a trial lawyer who specializes in class-action lawsuits, which is the source of mega wealth for many Democratic candidates. Rice, a first-term state senator, is taking on incumbent Republican Jim Inhofe. Rice is young, energetic, attractive, smart — and obviously ambitious. He will uphold gun rights while railing against Inhofe's ties to the energy industry. You know, the industry where all those "fat cats” work. The class envy rhetoric gets a bit stale when one takes his wine and cheese with folks who can pay $1,000 for 90 minutes with The Candidate.

It's hard being a global warming prophet. Al Gore has won a Nobel Peace Price and an Oscar for his climate change crusade — but also lots of personal scrutiny. A year ago the Tennessee Center for Policy Research gigged Gore for using enough electricity at his Nashville home to light a small town, so the former vice president installed solar panels and other energy-saving devices. Guess what? Gore's usage rose 10 percent in the past year! Using information obtained through a public records request to the Nashville Electric Service, the watchdog group said Gore's annual electricity consumption would power 232 average U.S. households for a month. Nothing convenient about that.

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