The Elements of Founding a Religion

One of the most important elements to founding a religion is having the need for one.  For example, unhappiness with a certain idea often leads to a need for a new religion, which was the case for the Bahais.  For a religioun to work, you also need a group of followers.  If the reason for starting a religion is strong enough, for example, enough of the Bahais were unhappy with the violent ideas to want to start a new religion, therefore there were enough followers.  Another important element in founding a religion is having a good leader.  What does a good leader entail?  Well you need a leader that is passionate about his/her teachings.  You also need a leader who is devoted.  With a strong enough religious ideal, group of followers, and persuasive, passionate leader, founding a religion seems easy, almost.  I think it's really cool how religions develop.  Not only this, but there are so many parallels among various religions.  For example, the Bab's teachings seem to have evolved, or incorporate much of the Islamic faiths' ideas.  These ideas are closely related as well with the teachings in Judaism and Christianity.  While new religions are meant to offer new ideas, they often sprout from existing ones therfore never allowing them to die, leading to a large parallel of ideas.