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Can one be an athiest and an INFP?

Sahara

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I ran across this awhile back, and remember asking an INTP if he knew of any athiest INFP's, to which he said he didn't.

They're more spiritually aware than most people, and are more in touch with their soul than others. Most INFPs have strong Faith. Those that don't may feel as if they're missing something important. An INFP should nourish their faith.

INFP Personal Growth

Also no matter what site I am at reading about my type, I am constantly being told that I am somehow spiritual, yet I am not.

I agree that my mind is often dwelling on spirituality, god, religions, morality and ethics, I am driven in my quest to evaluate all religions and versions of "God", but I do not FEEL anything.

I do not feel spiritual, I do not have faith.

I have travelled the road from Muslim, to agnostic to athiest in the course of 3 years. (although my entire life prior to that was a muslim one)

I admit that last year I would have been afraid of letting go of the idea that some kind of god exists, to abandon that final belief seemed to make life lose it's meaning, as if reaching a stage where I must sit back and say "Well what's the point then".

Yet here I am now, not afraid to reject that notion, and able to see that life is about humanity, secularism, and not the pleas to an imaginary being to have mercy on our souls, or to somehow save mankind. Mankind is capable of saving itself.

Am I the only INFP to feel this way? am I lacking something that should be there?

I often feel sad that god does not exist, I enjoyed the fantasy (not the reality of god via religions) of some supreme being and of course I grasped the concept that when i died some part of me would live on. But it's not true, so I let go of it as it no longer fits my value system, which is all about humanity.

Any thoughts? :)
 

Totenkindly

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I can't vouch for INFPs and atheism.

But I can still say that when you write, you still come across as a "spiritual" person just in the aura that surrounds you. (Even your avatars consistently have that "mystical" flair that I have come to associate with general spiritualism.)

I could also say that INFPs have a certain way of approaching the world: They want their lives to have a purpose and make sense in a larger context, and actively and consciously pursue that almost from the start. Because of that, many of them fall into or align themselves with preexisting religious faiths that fit their experiences and perceptions. But even if they do not pledge their allegiance to a known faith, they still have that larger sense of purpose and mission and meaning that drives them, connecting past to present to future and person to person.

I don't think you need to "feel" anything or have particular experiences in order to still have that sort of "approach to the world" ingrained in the core of your personality. And you still seem to have a real sense of spirit surrounding "humanity" and humanism as the all-surrounding umbrella. Your spiritualism just doesn't include God, but the goal of connectiveness is still there.
 

Sahara

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I can't vouch for INFPs and atheism.

But I can still say that when you write, you still come across as a "spiritual" person just in the aura that surrounds you. (Even your avatars consistently have that "mystical" flair that I have come to associate with general spiritualism.)

I am a lover of fantasy books, and of course a writer of them too. (well as much as my proscrastinating ass will allow me) The avatars I think reflect that fantasy based part of me, but I feel dead spiritually.

Like an example being that after watching Pan's Labyrinth I cried for two reasons, one because she got shot, and two because in reality she was dead, there was no faun, there was no fairy realm, just a young girl who had a breakdown due to the horrific things she had experienced. Maybe even a young INFP taking that fantasy world to far.

Never in my past would I have cried for that, i would have chosen to believe that final scene in which she is reunited with her fairy family.

I could also say that INFPs have a certain way of approaching the world: They want their lives to have a purpose and make sense in a larger context, and actively and consciously pursue that almost from the start. Because of that, many of them fall into or align themselves with preexisting religious faiths that fit their experiences and perceptions. But even if they do not pledge their allegiance to a known faith, they still have that larger sense of purpose and mission and meaning that drives them, connecting past to present to future and person to person.

Yes, that describes me very strongly at the moment, this journey of faith has been so changing, so liberating, and all by following those processes you just described. Will I ever stop? unlikely.:D

I don't think you need to "feel" anything or have particular experiences in order to still have that sort of "approach to the world" ingrained in the core of your personality. And you still seem to have a real sense of spirit surrounding "humanity" and humanism as the all-surrounding umbrella. Your spiritualism just doesn't include God, but the goal of connectiveness is still there.

Yes, that makes sense actually, but I don't know why, it's the term "Spirituality" which is jarring me I think, I truly am lacking a belief, even so far as to debating internally wether I can even say people have spirits by doing some kind of re-interpretation of the word?
 

The Ü™

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I thought INFPs could also be the most in touch with their desires. I don't think it necessarily has to be spiritual.
 

Cindyrella

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I am agnostic. I wasn't raised with religion whatsoever. I am extremely passionate in my views on religion and have never budged from that. I used to claim atheism but have since come to a personal understanding that I can't know whether there is a god. Thus, I am agnostic...a very atheistic-agnostic, if that makes any sense.

But I am spiritual. I have always been very drawn to the idea of paranormal phenomenon, the afterlife, reincarnation, etc. I don't follow any organized religion, nor do I concretely believe in anything I just mentioned. I just feel there are certain possibilities, that spirits may in fact live beyond the flesh. I just don't know how or even why.

I think spirituality is a very broad term that can be applied in many ways.
 

The_Liquid_Laser

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I've known an agnostic INFP, but I could tell that she thought about religion a lot even though she kept her views private. I just think that she was in the process of making up her mind.

There was an INFP girl I knew fairly well from my high school. She never mentioned religion, so I don't her thoughts about it, other than she didn't talk about it much. I do know that she took a job with some non-profit organization whose purpose was to stick it to "The Man", and she seemed pretty happy about that.

The other INFP's I've known were openly religious in some way.
 

Sahara

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I thought INFPs could also be the most in touch with their desires. I don't think it necessarily has to be spiritual.

I don't think it has to either on a personal level, but almost all the INFP descriptions have some reference to spirituality and faith.

I am agnostic. I wasn't raised with religion whatsoever. I am extremely passionate in my views on religion and have never budged from that. I used to claim atheism but have since come to a personal understanding that I can't know whether there is a god. Thus, I am agnostic...a very atheistic-agnostic, if that makes any sense.

But I am spiritual. I have always been very drawn to the idea of paranormal phenomenon, the afterlife, reincarnation, etc. I don't follow any organized religion, nor do I concretely believe in anything I just mentioned. I just feel there are certain possibilities, that spirits may in fact live beyond the flesh. I just don't know how or even why.

I think spirituality is a very broad term that can be applied in many ways.

That's the stand I was at about 6 months ago, the rough kind of personal belief that perhaps somethings couldn't be explained. However my journey led me further away from that belief, as I became more convinced that nothing aside from us, and our man made laws is out there.

I'm not sure that this is a position I will remain at, it's just that right now, in my current phase god doesn't seem real, everything seems to have a scientific explantions that makes sense where spirtuality and religion doesn't.

I've known an agnostic INFP, but I could tell that she thought about religion a lot even though she kept her views private. I just think that she was in the process of making up her mind.

There was an INFP girl I knew fairly well from my high school. She never mentioned religion, so I don't her thoughts about it, other than she didn't talk about it much. I do know that she took a job with some non-profit organization whose purpose was to stick it to "The Man", and she seemed pretty happy about that.

The other INFP's I've known were openly religious in some way.

That seems to be the impression I am getting from other people too, and not knowing enough infp's to come to my own realisation about it.
 

sundowning

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Sahara, have you ever visited Internet Infidels? They have a sub-forum on secular lifestyle which also contains a lot of helpful information and stories about deconversion.

Might help - you're at a point in your life that's beyond the scope of any type theory out there.
 

Sahara

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Sahara, have you ever visited Internet Infidels? They have a sub-forum on secular lifestyle which also contains a lot of helpful information and stories about deconversion.

Might help - you're at a point in your life that's beyond the scope of any type theory out there.

Oh hey, I didn't know that, I will check it out, thanks for that. :)
 

Ivy

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Maybe it's semantics, but I don't think "spiritual" and "atheist" are mutually exclusive. Spiritual doesn't necessarily imply belief in a higher power or an afterlife-- merely a resonance with the deeper human experience, or something.
 

Sahara

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Maybe it's semantics, but I don't think "spiritual" and "atheist" are mutually exclusive. Spiritual doesn't necessarily imply belief in a higher power or an afterlife-- merely a resonance with the deeper human experience, or something.


I think I am just beginning to adjust to that line of thinking too. I was stuck viewing spirituality as a purely religious, or some kind of otherwordly view point, but I see now that it can be applied differently. :)
 

Blossom76

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as you know sahara i am an atheist INFP, i never grew up wiht religion, although my parents tried sunday school bu teven at an early age i just felt it was a story, more so a fable along the lines of the minetor (dont grill me on spelling cant be botherd to check!:devil:) it just didnt add up, th efeeding of the 5 thousand water to wine and walking on water. the only thing that i was in awe of religion was the churches and cathedrals, not the mighty bible which i still refer to as a fable that got way out of hand. if you look at islam, judaism and christianity i dont see sprituality, when it says spirituality and INFPs i think it comes down to your indviduality, just because i wear a size 9 shoe doesnt mean if i borrow my friends size 9 mean it will be a comfortable fit! for me personaly i think i search spirituality within you as an individual as a collective, it comes from within not from a fictional character. its showing you care for your fellow being, to show compassion where you can show anger.
 

Sahara

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as you know sahara i am an atheist INFP, i never grew up wiht religion, although my parents tried sunday school bu teven at an early age i just felt it was a story, more so a fable along the lines of the minetor (dont grill me on spelling cant be botherd to check!:devil:) it just didnt add up, th efeeding of the 5 thousand water to wine and walking on water. the only thing that i was in awe of religion was the churches and cathedrals, not the mighty bible which i still refer to as a fable that got way out of hand. if you look at islam, judaism and christianity i dont see sprituality, when it says spirituality and INFPs i think it comes down to your indviduality, just because i wear a size 9 shoe doesnt mean if i borrow my friends size 9 mean it will be a comfortable fit! for me personaly i think i search spirituality within you as an individual as a collective, it comes from within not from a fictional character. its showing you care for your fellow being, to show compassion where you can show anger.

Shame on you, traitor to the English language. :angry:

It was the association of the word spirituality with religion that was the issue I think, however I was just reading this:

Web definitions of Spirituality

and I see how differently it is actually applied.
 

darlets

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Sahara, have you ever visited Internet Infidels? They have a sub-forum on secular lifestyle which also contains a lot of helpful information and stories about deconversion.

Might help - you're at a point in your life that's beyond the scope of any type theory out there.

That site is very good and active to the point of being overwhelming at times. If you log on once a day you'll normally find 200-300 new posts.
 

Blossom76

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Shame on you, traitor to the English language. :angry:

It was the association of the word spirituality with religion that was the issue I think, however I was just reading this:

Web definitions of Spirituality

and I see how differently it is actually applied.


:cry: :cry: hey am tied and should be in bed i got to get up at 5am, but no i thought id spend a little of my oh so precious time, yes i need my beauty sleep!, and i get berated for not bothering to check spellings! :steam:
 

Sahara

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That site is very good and active to the point of being overwhelming at times. If you log on once a day you'll normally find 200-300 new posts.


Yes, I have joined and bookmarked it, I will try it out tomorrow. :) I saw how many people were online and was highly impressed.
 

Sahara

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:cry: :cry: hey am tied and should be in bed i got to get up at 5am, but no i thought id spend a little of my oh so precious time, yes i need my beauty sleep!, and i get berated for not bothering to check spellings! :steam:

Yes, well most people are tied up in bed, not before they get in the bed. :harhar:

Sorry, I shan't berate you again tonight, as I am tired too. Night bloss. :)
 
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