I just don't see that the scriptures support man being able to believe at all before God gives him/her new life. I believe that dead means dead and all the scriptures on salvation seem to point in one direction to me: that salvation is of the Lord, %100, man does nothing but react in faith after his/her new birth.
But I know indeed this is a debate that's been going on for a really really long time. The classic Arminianism vs. Calvinism debates. :)