I don't think NTs are any less religious than any other MBT group.
I think according to most MBTI studies of religious affiliation, NTs (especially ENTPs) are significantly underrepresented in those that identify with a religion.
This may come down to what one means by religious. I would suspect fewer NTs identify with an organized religion, due to our tendency toward independence, skepticism, and questioning authority. I would also suspect, however, that we are just as likely to be spiritual, to have interest in the questions that religions try to answer.
[Agreed.] Typically, sensational! Instant gratification from spirits (not from God) with minimal to no faith required.
...or so I've heard.
Forgive me if I'm wrong. The term has many meanings.
You are right about Paganism; the term does indeed mean different things to different people. Many people misunderstand the nature of Pagan faiths. Misunderstanding can lead to distrust and even fear, so "Pagan" will mean something quite different to these people than to Pagans themselves.
You are wrong, though, about the rest. The "pop-wiccans" Lark referenced often think Paganism is about sensationalism and instant gratification, involving neither God nor faith, but those who bother to explore it find nothing could be further from the truth. These are some of the misconceptions that persist, partly due to centuries of attempts to vilify pre- or non-Christian spirituality; partly due to the misunderstanding mentioned above.
Erm, my problem is that it's pretty much 100% faith. I don't think that there's any evidence at all for Paganism. Maybe I'm wrong, though.
All religions at their best are a combination of faith, reason, feeling, values - the things that make us human. No religions can prove their claims through evidence. Pagans actually have more "evidence" than most since Pagan faiths tend to be rooted in the natural world: the turn of the seasons, the cycles of nature, the interrelatedness of all life on earth, etc. But it still requires belief.
How does this differ from the Christian God (not the existence of Jesus)? Aren't many of the old testament stories very similar to those found in older pagan religions?
You are correct. Another example of how the same fundamental truths transcend culture, time, and human limitations.
Although I do think there's a lot of nonsense and superstition churned out to satisfy consumer demand for neo-paganism, for instance pop-wiccans, there's some amusing episodes of Buffy The Vampire Slayer which I recall in which Willow, genuine witchcraft adept, joins a circle of pop-wiccans who're a bitchy cliche of feminazis.
You are correct about this. Pagan groups historically have kept to themselves, partly because of misunderstanding and prejudice, but also partly to deter the type of "pop-pagans" you reference. The groups with which I am familiar had lengthy "trial periods" for new members, which served quite well to separate true spiritual seekers from rebellious youth, thrill-seekers, or people who just want to look cool or trendy. Being a Pagan takes effort, at least as much as following any other religion and probably more so, because you will be doing much more of the work yourself.
I don't want to derail a thread about Christian NTs (further) by saying any more about Paganism. There is a thread in the Philosophy and Spirituality section called "Ask a Pagan" which goes into more detail, should anyone be interested.
