Seven Steps to Starting a Religion

  1. State that you were "chosen" by a god(s).
    This step does three things. First, it establishes what your future worshippers will be worshipping. Second, if anyone asks you why something is the way it is, you can say that you don't know, that you are just the messenger, and that you cannot possibly explain the god(s) actions since you are a mere mortal. Third, you will be seen as a better person than the masses, which simultaneously gives the worshippers a physical link to the god(s) and gives you a nice boost of self-esteem.
  2. Create a reason for worshipping
    Normally, this will involve a punishment for not worshipping. Saying that a non-worshipper will go to a bad place eternally after death is a very effective method. Create a doubt in someone's mind and he will fall easily.
  3. Create one or more holidays
    Declare holy days, and say that anyone who does not recognize them is persecuting your people. Holidays serve two purposes: one, they give your worshippers a reward for believing, and two, they reinforce said beliefs. Holidays remind the worshippers what they are doing, and they will normally worship with renewed interest after one.
  4. Exclude someone
    Forbidding certain groups of people from joining your religion will make the remaining feel elite and special, which will make them feel even better about their choice to worship.
  5. Train your worshippers to recruit
    The more worshippers you have, the better. With followers comes power, and you will eventually have enough clout to topple governments. Recruiting can be as simple as having worshippers bring visitors/potential worshippers to a meeting.
  6. Write a holy book
    Eventually, your worshippers will demand that they see some concrete evidence of your god(s). At that time, you can produce a holy book. Make sure to riddle it with inconsistencies and ambiguities so that it is open to many different interpretations.
  7. Ignore scientific discoveries
    At some point, science will dispute at least one teaching of your new religion. When this happens, just state that it is the way you say it is, and that the new god(s) masked this behind scientific discoveries in order to test everybody's faith.