A question re: relative importance of civics vs religion

[The_Aussie_Lurker]

Hi guys. Won't have the game until later this week but, just in the meantime, I was wondering if someone with the game could answer this question:

we know that religion is VERY important to your diplomatic relations, as is civics. What I want to know though is:

1) When you adopt Freedom of Religion-does the importance of religion in diplomatic relations become less important?

2) If yes, then do shared civics become more important?

3) Does shared civics work anything at all like shared religion-i.e. does it have a more potent effect as time goes by?

I guess, in a nutshell, I was hoping someone could explain civics and religion to me in the context of diplomacy?
Thanks.

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

[alva]

1) When you adopt Freedom of Religion-does the importance of religion in diplomatic relations become less important?

Yes

2) If yes, then do shared civics become more important?
3) Does shared civics work anything at all like shared religion-i.e. does it have a more potent effect as time goes by?

Not sure but don't thing so on both accounts
(though it could certainly be for nr3 but seeing as there's some switching going on between civics, it doesn't or wouldn't matter that much)

Let me put it differently, I have changed religions because of diplomatic relations, not so for civics where I will do what I think is best for me.

[Martinus]

Yeah, what alva said.

Essentially, the only time when religion comes into play in diplomacy is when you have the same or different state religions (giving a bonus or a malus, respectively). When you change civics to Freedom of Religion, you do not have any state religion - so there is neither a bonus nor a malus.