Dear Ahau Kin:

I agree that religious intolerance is painful.  I'm a Christian but have to take issue with you on just a few things:

1. As an educated Christian I don't consider Buddhism idolatry, because I think the statues are representations of an idea rather than a physical thing worshipped.  Catholics would say the same about statues of the Virgin Mary, and Orthodox say the same about icons.  Most Protestants aren't keen on statues, and some of them consider them verging on the idolatrous.  I think Russian Orthodoxy has embodied a lot of the same sort of quasi-idolatry in the veneration of particular icons too.  Certainly,  in the history of sectarianism within the church, there has a lot of name-calling about statues. 

2. Some Christians (cultural Christians, not well educated ones) may wear a cross as a sort of amulet.  That is theologically unsound if they think IT will protect them.  Undoubtedly in the past many Catholics had that mindset with their (superstitious) Saint Christophers in cars, etc.   Wearing a cross is much more a profession of faith .  On a trip to Tibet and China two years ago I wore a cross (which i don't usually do) specifically as a talking point .   Unfortunately, for some people these days, including many who never go near a church, a cross is just a fashion accessory - same as pentagrams and New Age stuff (like the Egyptian Ankh) are for others. 

3. Many Christians do NOT venerate saints.  Evangelical Protestants don't.  There is a great difference between respecting and admiring past Good People as examples to be emulated, and attributing to them miraculous powers, including powers of intercession.

4. Buddhism certainly DOES venerate life.  Its whole philosophy (better word than theology) is an elaborate intellectual structure designed to guide behaviour in the present life in a way that is benign and wholesome.

5.  Christianity ALSO venerates life , and I mean THIS life and not just the next.  Jesus said "I came that they might have life, and have it to the full."  He meant that if you internalize (follow) his teachings, your quality of life in the here and now would be much better - quite apart from the promise of eternal life.   In contrast, Islam places a very low value on life in the here and now;  in fact it does a hell of a lot to make present life thoroughly miserable, especially (but not only) for women.   All the pernicious Islamic theology about jihad and 70 virgins in the next life (in strange contradiction of Islam's sick hangups about sex in the present life!) comes from a disdain for the value of the present life.  Islam makes Allah into a pimp running a brothel for murderers - and what sort of life in the hereafter does he consign the poor women to?  What an evil, satanic cult!