Many of those men were uneducated and steeped in religious beliefs during a time-period lacking the scientific discoveries we enjoy. It’s possible they had strong religious beliefs in place before their enlightenments, and would have little to no reason to question it if they did not have a memory of the pce.
Richard on the other hand was barely catholic, had access to information, enjoyed more independence, and was reasonably wealthy. He likely had little preconceived ideas to shape his journey - he never even thought to get enlightened or read about it like many of us. It doesn’t seem like he ever considered the idea of escaping or ending the human condition until his 4-hour long PCE experience that kicked everything off. So he just went for that, with little to-no religious baggage or spiritual guidance.
These other men, lived in a time where people could be brutally killed for going against convention. They were likely inundated in religion from a very young age. And it’s possible their enlightenment validates their previous beliefs, even though it may not have turned out to be what they originally expected.
Religions would have existed with or without enlightenment as a means to explain the world. And feeling beings would have fought to protect those beliefs. It’s hard to separate the enlightened men from it as they were influenced by religion and they influenced religion.
I think it’s really a matter of conditions being right at the right time in the right place - and thus it couldn’t have happened any sooner. We’re lucky to be alive right now even with the problems we face.
Richard had such a refreshing attitude towards thought, appreciating it as the useful evolutionary development that it is. Thinking has never been the issue, it’s the beliefs that are a problem and they are made possible by the passions.