Thank you for your thoughtful reply. On the first point, I don't think that sounds fatalistic. We frame our existence around our mortality. I wonder two things around this though: a) are we promised death? (is there reincarnation, immortality or some other form of afterlife?) and b) if death is the only route to freedom, doesn't that become the ultimate bind?(Are we afraid of it, do we chase other pursuits to escape it?)

On the second, please don't be ashamed of your faith in the divine. I totally agree with you that there has been a lot of distortion regarding the various faiths. More a propos, there's Milton's quote "Sturdy enough to stand; free to fall."  In any case, I don't have a particularly valid critique of faith. Sometimes, it feels that there is a projection of human will onto 'divine' will. I've realized that it would be very difficult for me to be a monk or totally devoted to a faith, i.e. not participate in the inflicting of pain and suffering upon others and removal of all personal desire, even if I want to.  In terms of freedom, single-minded focus could be the way to go.  You would have to basically remove yourself from society and be self-sufficient not to participate in the mass-corruption.  In the end, are you saying that prayer for forgiveness and unrelenting devotion to the divine is the only way to be free?