[GS] Why is so difficult to found a religion?

[lotrmith]

I haven't found that getting a religion, as long as I'm set on playing a religious game, is all that difficult. You gotta pay attention to the GP screen and know when it's time to spam project. You do so at the expense of a bigger early land grab (I always go for 3 cities before religion, then fill as many expand areas as are left to me), and you know that the trade-off is not having a lot of science/culture. But you don't need any science/culture to win a religious game, it's practically played on an entirely different game board.

Religion shouldn't be something you do, it should be something that happens to you. Depending on circumstances (war vs. prosperity) that might mean the spontaneous emergence of something beneficial like warrior monks, medical clinics or educational institutions. On the other hand they might develop dietary restrictions that impose food penalties, or dogmatic beliefs that cause science/culture/diplomatic penalties. Maybe you get a number of free units but MUST go to war for the next X number of turns. Inquisitions should cause population loss and unhappiness. It should be a mixed bag; no bonus without blight and not a VC at all. I don't want to get too far off topic though- the game is fun as it stands even if the religion aspect is a little silly.

I disagree. Religion has always, historically and presently (at the risk of ruffling a few feathers) been a tool of control used by those in charge. That is, religion can and often is deliberate. It hasn't always worked out 100% in their benefit (ie without challenges) but that can often be viewed as a failure of rulers to adapt to and/or control the religion of their lands. Egyptian Pharaohs and Japanese Emperors ruled as gods. Kings and Queens rules with Divine Right. In many places, the head of church and state are/were one and the same.

 

[Mr. Shadows]

I disagree. Religion has always, historically and presently (at the risk of ruffling a few feathers) been a tool of control used by those in charge. That is, religion can and often is deliberate. It hasn't always worked out 100% in their benefit (ie without challenges) but that can often be viewed as a failure of rulers to adapt to and/or control the religion of their lands. Egyptian Pharaohs and Japanese Emperors ruled as gods. Kings and Queens rules with Divine Right. In many places, the head of church and state are/were one and the same.

Fair enough, but now we're completely off topic which is not cool to the OP. Sorry for pushing it that way.

 

[Abaxial]

I usually go for a religion ASAP, but in one recent game I failed to get one. Then in the late middle game I found I had a pool of about 11,000 faith which I would normally have been using to make apostles. Oh-ho, and a modern armour costs me 1,500 faith! The answer to all unexpected attacks in the rear.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

I usually go for a religion ASAP, but in one recent game I failed to get one. Then in the late middle game I found I had a pool of about 11,000 faith which I would normally have been using to make apostles. Oh-ho, and a modern armour costs me 1,500 faith! The answer to all unexpected attacks in the rear.

- And this might be the answer to the OP Question. IF it is hard to found a religion, especially at the higher levels, it is because, even without a Religion, it is not at all hard to make use of the Religion "mechanics" (Faith Points) to further your game in other directions: Great People, Settlers, Builders, Traders, Units, Buildings, etc.

I will trade your 20 Missionaries, Apostles, Gurus, Warrior Monks and Inquisitors for 10 Modern Armor Units and we'll see who wins any resulting battle . . .

 

[Bitterman]

That is exactly what I mean though.

Why bother yourself with founding a religion if you can just not doing it and get most of its benefits and none of their incredible drawbacks.

 

[WackenOpenAir]

There i am, playing Arabia on Deity to get a free religion (playing an attempt to reach 4 different victory conditions in 1 game so i don't want to make the heavy investment normally needed to get a religion on deity) Turns out, this game, by turn 80 i had to earn my Great Prophet myself after all because less than 4 AI's had gotten a religion.

Weird game :S