[GSHastings]

I don't get it...Leftists can respect Jihadists, Buddhists, Taoists and Satanists...but if someone believes in Christ the Savior and God the Father Almighty, they're "crackpots

That's an easy one to explain. Liberals inhabit the same darkness as Jihadist, Buddhists...your whole list. None of those things are rejected by liberals (other than lip service), because none of them are Truth.

[muawiyah]

Regarding Buddhism, since you doubt it has any connection to Western Divine revelations, examine Jonah ~ there's a lot of story-line in there, but no sermons ~ yet, that's what he's credited with ~ sermons. How does that book end? Isn't there something about a vine growing up to shade him from the Sun as he slept?

Now, turn to the Buddha. He achieved enlightenment while seated, drowsing, ad a vine grew up to shade him from the Sun.

There's very little about God, or even gods, motivating Buddha to pursue enlightenment ~ on the other hand, we have hundreds of what are purported to be his sermons.

The two stories, Jonah, and the origins of Buddhism, fit together like Ying and Yang.

Do not be so hasty to dismiss this religion from the category of those with a legitimate origin.