The religion game is highly interactive between player characters. From the very beginning you have to convince people to join you. The only tool you have is a text-based message. If your character is grumpy and insulting, or you have a bad reputation from past actions, how do you expect to convince them to support your cause? Your family history counts here, too. People will tend to not interact with a family with which they have a past bad experience.
But if you can sell ice to an Eskimo, you'll probably do very well at the religion game.
