Belief is the acceptance that a claim is true. People in general believe something because they have been convinced that the claim is plausible. One can be convinced for good reasons or one can be convinced for bad reasons. But can one be convinced simply by an act of will? I don't think this is remotely possible. Such a notion would imply that beliefs and actions can be governed to the same degree.
Let us consider the following scenario; you are told that you will receive ten million dollars if you are able to jump off a cliff and keep yourself from falling to the ground. You are completely free and capable of jumping off the cliff if you choose to do so. If you however, like people in general, believe in gravity, you cannot just choose not to believe gravity won't pull you to the ground. This belief would probably be the greatest thing stopping you from actually jumping off the cliff , but you are still ever as capable of choosing to jump off anyway. Whether or not you decide to jump off that cliff your belief in gravity would remain. You believing in gravity was not a choice.
In the same way, one's belief or disbelief in God is not a choice. In my opinion, God is not a plausible claim, especially a personal God. I used to hold the belief that there was a God , who made us each unique and is watching over each of us , at every moment of everyday. My beliefs didn't change because my life is miserable , as many people would assume. I actually have a very fortunate life. Sure, the thought of a God gave me some amount of comfort, but in seeking to justify my beliefs so I could share that comfort with others , I realized I could no longer believe what I did because I was no longer convinced.
Belief in my view, is not a choice and one should not be discriminated because of it. Chances are, they are the beliefs of their parents ( especially if the beliefs are religious) , which are probably the only views they were exposed to and had no chance of being convinced of anything else.
