If all you are after is min/maxing your character, then the religion aspect of the game is not for you. It's just that simple, and nothing can change that. Period.
If you are looking for more character development, as opposed to just stat development, then the religion aspect of the game can help. But you, the player, must bring something to the table for that to happen. More than likely that will require your character to do things that are non-optimal on the stat development side.
You speak as if it concerned only h/p hunters or fame mongers. It doesn't.
Seeking power in not (accurately) quantifiable. It isn't a stat that you develop. Doesn't mean one can't want to be optimal, as everyone has limited time and attention span he is willing to commit to a game. It's absolutely normal for people to prioritize and do some sacrifices.
For most people, achieving power so that they can achieve something or make a difference is an important objective, whether they want the spotlight or not. And it's quite normal. If all you want is to develop a character, than you may as well just go write a book or play in a free form RPG without limiting game mechanics like BM has. If you like the restrictions, it's probably because you like a challenge, and there isn't a lot from the game that challenges the creation of a personality for your character.
