Rarely do those on the left and the right blend politics and religion in conversation without the dialogue turning explosive.

They’ll usually end up brawling in the moral intersection of faith and value, exchanging rhetorical punches of Biblical verse and constitutional interpretation.

In Washington, when such fracases have broken out these last couple years, the right loses and is forced to watch the left march ahead with its liberal social agenda.

Larry Sundquist, a devout Christian and owner of Sundquist Homes in Lynnwood, tired of the brawls and policy setbacks and set out last summer to form a new statewide group for Christian conservatives.

The man who’s donated tens of thousands of dollars to local, state and federal candidates gathered support from Christians in the business, civic and church circles he travels. He also sought advice from friends such as Tony Perkins, who runs the national Family Research Council.

The results will be seen next month with the launch of the Washington Family Policy Council.

“We don’t want to position ourselves as a right-wing Christian organization,” Sundquist said.

“We want to be credible and not be marginalized. And we want to be credible without thumping on our Bibles and quoting scripture.”

An initial test will be explaining why the group is associating with Focus on the Family, the behemoth social conservative network led by Dr. James Dobson – who enlightens or enrages someone with nearly every comment he makes.

Sundquist said the Washington Family Policy Council will be completely independent. Dobson won’t be dictating anything to them and won’t be providing money, talking points or even a donor list.

An association will give them access to the mega-group’s vast information resources and links to similar bodies operating in other states.

Washington will be the 36th state with a social conservative group associated with Focus on the Family.

To get started, Sundquist enlisted to the Board of Directors the savvy veteran of political brawling Pastor Joe Fuiten of Bothell. Fuiten tangled a lot this year with lawmakers as president of Positive Christian Agenda; he will merge that group into the policy council.

Larry Stickney of Arlington has been hired as executive director. Stickney, who is chief aide to Snohomish County Councilman John Koster, will leave his county job next month.

Stickney knows the challenge will be great. Democrats in the Legislature pushed bills granting domestic partnerships for same-sex couples and overhauling sex education in public schools.

He looks to recalibrate the voice of Christian conservatives in time to make a difference when lawmakers arrive for next session.

“We’re not ashamed to say we are going to promote the Judeo-Christian worldview,” he said.

“And we’re not going to be shy about it.”

Reporter Jerry Cornfield’s column on politics runs every Sunday. He can be heard at 8 a.m. Monday on the Morning Show on KSER 90.7 FM. He can be reached at 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.