"i think if people didn't always have a prepared answer for questions like this (free will! free will!) I would find religion a lot easier to believe in/understand."

Why worry about it??? We are all here, none of us know why, none of us know what happens after we expire! Why not enjoy life and try to keep from worrying about things you don't have any control over or understand. The Buddhists say *be here now* which is good advise IMO. Organized religions are , IMO, in most cases businesses that want to control people and releive them of the burden of their money; they have nothing to do with your connection to God or whatever you choose to call the big picture that our finite minds can't ever seem to comprehend. Just my opinion all you religious fanatics out there so don't get your shorts in a wad.

                               FP