[NF] NF & Spirituality

[Butterfly]

I have read that NFs have a deep sense of understanding for the meaning of things and are highly spiritual and moralistic.
And since there are so many various types of spirituality and religions, I can see and NF choosing one or the other.
NTs I have come across on this forum and others seem to be mostly Atheists.

So my inquiry is:
How many of NFs that you know find peace in spirituality and religion, or are there any Atheists NFs there? If so, wouldn't it go against their core being of being an Idealist??

 

[SillySapienne]

I am an NF atheist. And my idealism is largely to blame for my fervent atheism.

 

[nozflubber]

I think many so-called F types reject spiritual notions because it went against ideals. An example: some of the things mentioned in the original testiment turn many away because they can't believe in that "type" of God

 

[SillySapienne]

The problem of evil.

 

[SillySapienne]

In theory, idealism > realism. In application, realism > idealism.

 

[BookLady]

Well THIS NF is very spiritual and does find great meaning and comfort in her faith.

I think some NF's have a hard time with the idea of God's justice; and to this I would respond that while I believe He is infinitely just, He is also infinitely MERCIFUL. I believe His mercy converts more souls than His justice, at least an NF soul, because we melt in the presence of goodness, kindness, mercy and Love. And, God is PURE LOVE. So, this NF melts.

Also, I think the kind of FATHER one has had influences if one decides to be an atheist because many tend to view God through the prism of their early fathering experience. How their view their biological father can affect how they view God.

I was blessed to have a tender, loving, very compassionate, fun-loving, irrepressible father (probably ENFP like me!) so my view of God is tender, loving and compassionate.

My MOTHER had a very stern, fault-finding father who was rigid and unbending. Guess how SHE viewed God? Yes, in a very JUSTICE mindset. I will add...I believe she was ISTJ and they tend to be very justice-minded.

As she lay dying, I whispered words of tender encouragement to her, reminding her of God's infinite mercy and tenderness and of all the wonderful things she had done in her life and to TRUST in His mercy.

I thank God I AM an NF and can sense such things in Him and I wish my other ENFP's here had the same understanding I do.

I was blessed with the most lo

 

[SillySapienne]

Interesting theory about our fathers acting as our models for god, but I became skeptical in third grade when I asked my bible teacher why there was no mentioning of dinosaurs in the Torah and she replied that we were supposed to take the bible "metaphorically". Kinda like fairy tales I thought, interesting.


Booklady, you say he is infinitely just and merciful, but what are his justifications for allowing five year old daughters to be raped by their fathers? Where is the infinite mercy in that?

 

[GZA]

I don't like religion. Religion seems more like a social institution than a spiritual thing, really. Its a way to bring people together and think/work under similar/the same circumstances. Its a social gathering point. I have nothing against religion, I just don't practice it or anything. I consider myself agnostic.

I like something like toaism though. Its not really a religion though, its more a philosophy. The more I read it the more it comes eerily close to some of my own musings (like that nature is like my god because it demonstrates such authority and power and it also demonstrates the flux of the word, the symbiotic relationships found between everything). Wuwei is a cool idea, too. I don't consider myself a toaist by any means, but I like some of the ideas and it helps to demonstrate I do have a sense of idealism and so called spirituality despite not having any actual faith in any religion. The only thing that comes close to being a religious text for me is The Art of War, but its explicitely not religious in nature. Its more like some old guy passing on his knowledge and advice to the younger generation.

The thing about idealism is that you can almost draw religious or mystical kinds of meanings or overtones from pretty much anything. I don't think idealism really relates to religion... it doesn't mean the perosn will be religious. Take the song Imagine by John Lennon for example... the most off-the-hook idealistic thing ever made, but it totally dismisses religion. I don't think idealists neccesarily give a shit about any of that, they just dream about the way the world could be, the way it could be fixed to make the world a better place.

 

[SillySapienne]

^GZA your precocious wisdom never ceases to amaze me!!!!

Taoism is a beautiful philosophy of the nature of life/things and it also eerily resonates as being true for me as well.

It is what it is, lol.

 

[GZA]

*high fives the Captain*

 

[phoenix13]

I've been agnostic for a year and a half. Five years ago I was a born again Christian. It took about a year to pry myself apart from the idea of a personal god, and it was a bit of a bummer.

My father is an ENTP and has been Christian for 10 years or so. In discussing God, he's said a couple times that he could go back to being atheist and get along just fine (ie. he doesn't believe simply out of need). I've always been taken aback by that comment, as my own transition away from religion was slow, vaguely painful, and punctuated by moments of existential horror. Being so close in personality to my dad and differing so much on this point makes me think that spirituality/religion/"the meaning of life" is much more important to the NF than the NT. Of course, I'm aware that this is a gross generalization, but I'm throwing it out there anyway.

 

[phoenix13]

Geeeeezzzzzz, I'm so friggin' wordy!

 

[nemo]

Existential horror is fun.

 

[SillySapienne]

Viva la existence!!!

The beauty, the pain, the horror, the shame, the chaos, the comfort, the dynamic, the inert, the complex, the lame!!!!

 

[Eileen]

I love religion. I love the good metaphors in Christianity (and loathe all the bad theologies, like atonement theology)... but I do have trouble "believing" as most people expect someone as devout as me to do without issue.

Life was easier when I wasn't practically atheist. I want my God back.

 

[GZA]

Wow, a little freestyle there, CC Its true though.

And existential horror is fun... but it also sucks

Here's a poem I like about religion/spirituality. It pretty much sums it up...

YouTube - Talib Kweli - Def Poetry Jam

 

[disregard]

I do not believe in an afterlife or a higher power, but I spiritually identify with Taoism and the teachings of Lao-Tzu. It has centered me in the past when my ego tried to take the reins.

 

[heart]

I believe in my own experience. I agree with CC about life. I agree with Dana about the Tao. I agree with Eileen about symbology and meaning. I am more gnostic than agnostic.

 

[SillySapienne]

YouTube - Talib Kweli - Def Poetry Jam

*chills*

Thank you.

 

[Noel]

Whitmanism + Tao De Ching