Part of *that* problem is every priest wants their own religion to do their own thing. So instead of cooperating with fellow players to build Awesome, everyone does their own thing and they all stink, and thus often die when their founder goes. Religion is best when there are a small (3-4) number per island, with each religion spread across multiple realms. The smaller religions get, the more often they are seen as just extensions of one's realm politics.
The advantage SA had is it was a new continent without pre-existing realms (as when religions were created, they were often realm religions to maintain realm control) and players willing to cooperate to build something new. That is why it was so successful, for many years.
Indeed, and that was true since a long time. Even in the Blood Cult's early days, I really tried hard to federate other people interested in the priest game to a common religion, and intentionally made the church structure as adapted to that model as possible.
Most people did not want to fold. Can't completely blame them, the way religions are set up gives absolute control to the one with the top rank. Second rank has zero power in comparison.
