It is not a choice for me.
I've experienced so many people telling me that their God image and Scripture are the true ones, but then backtracked on the reason and evidence, insisting that if I just trusted them(and not all the zillions of other religionists making the same claim) then I would understand that they really do know God better than almost anyone.
Sorry. I'm not capable of choosing a human authority on the great divine any more. It's not possible at this time. If there is a God who cares about that, He's the one making the choice.
Not me.
And that is more true than any claims made by a 19th century "messenger". You may prefer to believe differently, but I know.
Tom
You have hit upon a key aspect to this Tom and it is that Faith is indeed a Gift from God, it is not something that anyone deserves or has earned.
From what I have found, that gift is available to all but it appears to have a trigger where we become open to the possibility and at that moment we face the choice that will decide if we except the gift or leave it to remain unopened.
I found what I had read, if it is of interest, then I gift it for meditation.
"Be thankful to God for having enabled you to recognize His Cause. Whoever has received this blessing must, prior to his acceptance, have performed some deed which, though he himself was unaware of its character, was ordained by God as a means whereby he has been guided to find and embrace the Truth. As to those who have remained deprived of such a blessing, their acts alone have hindered them from recognizing the truth of this Revelation. We cherish the hope that you, who have attained to this light, will exert your utmost to banish the darkness of superstition and unbelief from the midst of the people. May your deeds proclaim your faith and enable you to lead the erring into the paths of eternal salvation."
(Baha'u'llah, quoted in Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 586)
I can assure you that the wording is for personal reflection, I do not see it is written to make a person who may have embraced a cause feel that are better than any other person.
Regards Tony