Believe me they do take us seriously, Xenos in packs scare them so much they send 3 or 4 capital ships after us :DAsk Tubalcaine about his "Phearzom StarBlazer" which put the fear into a Bounty Hunter Gunboat, ask Prospector about what happens when he even thinks about coming into New York, oh we're taken seriously alright. We don't need uber lasers, kick ass funboats, or even transports to be effective.
Saint Del is considered a holy healer of diseases of children, but also as a protector of cattle.