Hey, I FINALLY found the thread with my 'one true model' for religion. I am now going to repost it here, so that people can make their own judgements, as well as posting the link.
Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.
Key issues for me are:
Base Religions and traits (Stability vs Influence)
1) Animism-highest stability, lowest influence. Examples: Shinto, Aboriginal Dreamtime, Native American Totemism.
2) Humanist-second highest stability, second lowest influence. Examples: None come to mind, but any religion which focuses on a living human being-probably a temporal ruler-would fit the bill.
3) Non-Deist-average stability, average influence. Examples: Confuscionism, Taoism.
4) Polytheist-second lowest stability, second highest influence. Greco-Roman Pantheon, Norse/Celtic Pantheon, Hinduism.
5) Monothiest-lowest stability, highest influence. Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Mithraism, Jehova's Witness.
Influence and stability are further effected by your civs legalism, libertarianism and spiritualism.
Sects and traits (Edited)
1) Orthodox (Increased happiness/culture from religious buildings, reduced tech research rate, increased stability) Examples: Greek Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Jewish Orthodox, Coptic church.
2) Reformist (Decreased happiness/culture from religious buildings, increased stability, lower religious corruption) Examples: Protestant, Lutheran, Methodist.
3) Ascetic (Reduced corruption-religious AND secular, reduced luxury and resource trade, increased happiness from religious improvements). Examples: Essenes, Catharists, Bhuddists, Menonites (Amish).
4) Blood Cult (Religious culture boost from sacrifices, reduced international rep amongst non 'blood cult' civs, increased stability and influence). Examples: Aztec and Incan religions, Kali cult.
5) Militant (Greater influence for 'active' conversion attempts, lower war weariness against 'foreign' religion types, lower stability). Examples: Wahaabi, Zionists, Evangelists.
6) Fundamentalist (Increased resistance to passive and active conversion, Reduced tech-research rate, increased stability).
Although there is the theoretical possibility of EVERY combination occuring within the game, some sects are more likely in certain base religions over others. As follows:
1) Animism-ascetic and blood cult most likely. Orthodox and militant least likely.
2) Humanism-Blood Cult and militant most likely. Ascetic and Reformist least likely.
3) Non-Deist-ascetic and militant most likely, Blood cult and orthodox least likely.
4) Polytheist-Blood cult and militant most likely, orthodox and reformist least likely.
5) Monotheist-Reformist and Orthodox most likely, Blood cult and ascetic least likely!
Of course, these base 'odds' can be altered by government type, proximity and/or trade with civ(s) of that sect, relative morality level, as well as your social engineering settings and in-game actions. The main issue, though, is that sects are NOT under the direct control of the player, and can occur spontaneously. You can manipluate the conditions for their appearance, however, AND you can choose to embrace, ignore or repress an emerging sect. Lastly, sects and base religions will be further defined by the types of Wonders (small and great), improvements and units you build.
Religious schisms can occur if the ratio of 'alien' to 'native' religious culture is quite high. With this base rate being influenced by happiness, religious corruption levels, distance from religious 'capital' and the like. If a religious schism occurs, the player retains 'TEMPORAL' control of the city. However, religious buildings in that city now produce x% (?) less religious culture each turn (possibly even none at all), and no further religious improvements and/or wonders can be built, by you, in that city (though a neighbouring civ of the city's new faith could!) Also, a city which 'converts' to a new faith is in greater danger of breaking away-either to form a new nation or to join an existing nation of the same faith!
Well, without going into any further detail, that is the model as I envisage it. I would not be completely AGAINST specific religions, so long as I can edit their traits (if any) in the editor and/or name them as they appear within the game! My preference, however, is for generic-and will remain so

!