Is belief really a choice?

[GordonHide]

Well, except that the world is probably deterministic so that the word "choice" probably means something slightly different to that imagined by most people.

Empirically, rationally, yes I agree with you.

But something else, something deeper, something mysterious, tells me no, we are free, we do as we please and please as we will and will what we will, and will what we will by which we will, and on to infinitum.

I don't think there is anything mysterious about it. You are just responding to your desire to believe that which you would like to be true.