designing a convincing prayer experiment

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but because they choose not to believe.

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Tell me how it is that you can simply choose what you believe in.If you were raised your entire life eating apples. Everyone in your life told you that you were eating apples. You believed this to be true that these were apples, because that is how you were raised. However, your whole life you were actually eating oranges and everyone was playing a nasty trick on you. Well one day, I told you that you were eating an orange not an apple. Would you believe it was an orange? Your mind will tell you "NO. this is an apple! This guy is a nut case!" You can not CHOOSE to believe in something! Your mind makes this up for you!Time and Time again I hear this "You have to choose to believe." Tell me, do you believe in the Tooth Fairy? If not, how come and is it by choice?

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I may end up believing in either evolution or creation

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You are coming to a conclusion based on everything you have read. The reason you believe is not based by choice, but rather a reaction you have based on your life experiences and choices. You can be brainwashed into believing anything. It doesn't mean that you chose to believe. You can TRY and talk yourself into believing in something, and yes, I agree that you can influence your beliefs to some extent, but it doesn't mean you can simply choose what you believe in.In my case, I would love to believe in certain things, but my mind tells me this CAN'T be possible. Hence, I don't believe.Beliefs are feelings, and your are not in FULL control of your feelings. I have always been told to love GOD. So do I just choose to love him? I can say "I love God"...But that doesn't mean I love him. Do you choose who you love?If a person you love suddenly died, can you choose how to feel?