Basically, yes. We choose what we want to believe for our own reasons.
There are two scriptures in the Bible that tell us why there is such diversity in what people choose as a belief system. Even Bible believers are not in agreement as "Christians" continue to squabble over details....but if God does not "draw" people to his son (John 6:44) and if we do not 'come to the Father through the son', (John 14:6) no one will ever arrive at the truth. A dozen people can come to a dozen conclusions about one passage of scripture. How do we know who is right? We don't....but God does.
He will expose people to his message, but he will not force it on anyone, however, he has a filter.....he can see what is in a person's heart and can detect motive and intent so much better than we can. When we are exposed to the truth, we can have one of two responses...either it will immediately attract us....or it will repel us.
2 Thessalonians 2:7-12 tell us why we are free to make our own choices.....apostasy in the Christian church was beginning, even while the apostles were still alive........
"7 True, the mystery of this lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who is right now acting as a restraint is out of the way. 8 Then, indeed, the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will do away with by the spirit of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his presence. 9 But the lawless one’s presence is by the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and wonders 10 and every unrighteous deception for those who are perishing, as a retribution because they did not accept the love of the truth in order that they might be saved. 11 That is why God lets a deluding influence mislead them so that they may come to believe the lie, 12 in order that they all may be judged because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness."
Paul explained that "lawless" men would introduce deceptive teachings into Christianity, even performing "powerful works" to gain followers, but not by the power of God. Why does God not stop this deception?
Because those people prefer the convenient lies, to an inconvenient truth. (2 Timothy 4:3-4) They prefer the easy road rather than the 'cramped and narrow one'. (Matthew 7:13-14) He does not cause the hearts of these ones to be deceived....he just doesn't prevent it.
You see, IMO, no one can be deluded who does not want to be. They don't love God's truth, but prefer their own....so they will never be 'drawn' by God and will remain 'deluded' because God sees no useful qualities in those people as he chooses the citizens he wants to live in his kingdom. They may claim to be "Christians" and yet they will be dismissed by Jesus as ones 'he never knew' (Matthew 7:21-23) "Never" means "not ever". Imagine!
This to me, means that every single one of us will be judged as to who we really are from God's perspective, not just how we judge ourselves. We can fool ourselves....but we cannot fool our Creator.
Nothing is as it seems in a world ruled by God's adversary. (1 John 5:19)
This is what I have come to believe after many years of study. You may see things differently.