Question for Mr. Chiang

In reference to the story "Hell is the Absence of God", I find it hard to believe that if it was physically evident that heaven and hell actually existed, everyone wouldn't be religious. I realize that this story is science fiction, but do you believe that all people (in our world) would not strive for salvation in heaven, knowing for sure that it existed?

Also, I was wondering why you decided that the papers inserted into the backs of the automata should be comprised of 72 letters, and not any other amount of letters, or why you decided that a random assortment of letters could animate these clay figures in the first place.