[tomrod]

I think you answered your own question to a degree. As I was being raised in an extremely high cost religion, I remember converts were given a very special glow and respect. Oh, they may never be full members of the tribe nor expected to lead very often, but their stories were affirmations that our religion must be right to convince people to join.

Also, these converts were used in proselyting from the populations they came from.

I've noticed most atheists are by default "converts" in a sense, and the now-religious conversion parallels appear to have a few dimensions to it.