Is God pro-free trade? Depends on which faction of the Christian Right you ask.

On Monday, a few miles but an ideological world away from the sea turtles and steelworkers marching against the WTO, Christian and Republican activists gathered at the Space Needle, under the name "Working Families for Free Trade."

The Mercer Center basketball arena seemed an ambitious venue for the 60 pro-trade Protestants who turned out to hear former U.S. Rep. Randy Tate, now the executive vice-president of the Christian Coalition. Tate was joined by Reed Davis, chair of the King County Republican Party, a co-sponsor of the event. Under a 20-ft.-tall U.S. flag and red, white and blue balloons, speakers were introduced to the patriotic march music of John Philip Sousa.

Davis was eager to counter the image of thousands of WTO opponents trying to take over the streets of the Emerald City. "We are here today," he said, "to let the world know that Seattle supports free trade. Profits and progress are good things and change — like eliminating sweatshop working conditions in Asia — will only come about with more contact with America and the benefits of the capitalist system. Free trade breaks down the barriers that allow countries to continue human rights violations."

The real draw was Tate, who shared the local GOP chair’s concern for Seattle’s image, but clearly had bigger political, economic — and evangelical — targets in sight.

"We are here to put the best face forward for Seattle," said Tate. "We stand firm for democracy, and one way to help get there might be to change the name of the person who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue." (The crowd chuckled its approval. At least they had that in common with the anti-WTO protesters.) Tate claimed that "some of the most respected religious leaders in this country, like Billy Graham and Pat Robertson support free trade." In an apparent reference to China, which last week reached an agreement with the U.S. that is supposed to pave the way for the People’s Republic to join the WTO, "We cannot turn our backs on the chance for one-fifth of the world to gain access to American businesses and religious missionaries."

In the audience, Austin Marriner, a former missionary from Des Moines, Wash., agreed with Tate. He said he came to the rally to hear about how free trade can protect those working to spread Christian values around the world.

"I’m don’t know too much about the WTO," admitted Marriner. "But I support the idea that through free trade we can use our clout to promote freedom and human rights, especially on religious issues."

Outside the arena, however, a different gospel was being spread. A small band of activists from Pat Buchanan’s presidential campaign and the Conservative Caucus distributed a statement that said: "It is biblically wrong for members of Congress to abandon their oaths to the Constitution and surrender their responsibility for trade policy to a global bureaucracy. Congress must be accountable to the American people and to the sovereign Lord whom we are all bound to serve."

Buchanan arrived in Seattle Monday and was scheduled to address a business roundtable that evening. Will he march in Tuesday’s massive anti-WTO protest? God only knows.

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