Since an additional test was requested in the previous post, I took the Big Five test. The AI ​​told me the result is consistent with the INTP personality type from the MBTI.

I took the test again, since many people questioned my type based on my posts. I really am an INTP; my individual variations still fall within that type.

Disclaimer: This is mostly a thought experiment I've been entertaining lately about religion, social dynamics, and how people use shared beliefs to their advantage, not something I actually plan to do. I am also not trying to attack anyone for being religious, just sharing some thoughts I've had about religion and the social advantages that come with it.

So I was thinking how many ENTP and INTX are more likely to be atheist or agnostic, and don't like following an organized religion, and I happen to be one of those people. But I was thinking how ENTPs especially could think that it might be socially beneficial to say you are religious and believe in god, even if you don't, just to connect with other religious people. After all, there are far more religious people than non-religious ones, and claiming to share someone's faith could be an easy way to connect with them, gain their trust, and make them like you more. This is probably the Fe speaking haha

I have noticed a lot of self help influencers casually weaves religious statements into their stories about believing in god, trusting His plan, etc. and I was thinking how saying that probably makes religious people resonate with their content more than if they didn't say it. For example, I recently saw an influencer post a short about his life journey from poverty to wealth, and at the saying "god is good", like that probably encouraged more people to follow his journey. Not saying these people are faking being religious or exploiting it, but it is entirely possible that they could be emphasizing their belief for the clout, as it is to their benefit in this case. I'd also imagine religious followers might be more inclined to pay for access to the exclusive communities these influencers sell, especially if they feel a shared sense of identity and belonging from their stories. Catering to religious audiences also likely gives you an advantage because you already have some idea of what they want to hear.

Another story I came across was how my friend landed a job at a top tech company through a referral from their mom's friend that go to the same church. She ended up getting the offer with just one interview, during which the interviewer even said "well you didn't pass with flying colors, but you can learn on the job." That just made me think how going to church, especially in an area with rich people, is likely better than any number of networking event lol

Part of this mindset probably also comes from realizing how it is almost impossible to convince any religious person the faults of their religion or the fact their holy text was written by a human from 100 generations ago at the end of the day, so I think it's more practical to just use their beliefs to your advantage rather than spend effort making them understand. Sort of a "if you can't beat them, join them" mentality.

For context, I was born in a religious family so I was religious myself as a child, praying to specific god name and all, but as I grew older and developed my frontal lobe a a little more, stopped living in autopilot, and read more philosophy and religious debates, I just thought how stupid all this was and became agnostic. I can still easily understand people believing in god, since being an agnostic I partly believe there is a creator of sorts too, just not necessarily one who is omniscient or concerned about humans daily life, but I can't fathom following an organized religion anymore. And since then, for almost a decade now, I thought I would never want to do anything with religion, but now I am seeing the power it has over people which makes me wanna play pretend for when it could benefit me. At the same time, even playing pretend when I fundamentally disagree with it really irks me.

Another thing I have found absurd is how many people seem to follow religion simply because they are afraid of hell, which makes me even less inclined to label as part of the same crowd. However, even though I think it's stupid for people to believe that doing morally bad things will send them to hell, especially when our notions good and bad are ultimately constructs determined by humans, I'm still glad that people believe in hell or divine punishment etc., as it ultimately benefits everyone if they're afraid of doing bad things. I used to want people to make people realize that their religion is made up or at least question their religion, and realize that their beliefs are not as absolute as they think. But now, I'd actually be concerned if some of these people came to that realization and started thinking they could do whatever they wanted, no longer feeling shackled by their beliefs about hell and divine punishment. So, technically I am already benefiting from people being religious.

Looking back, I think I also had somewhat of a savior complex, believing that I needed to free people from being brainwashed into following a particular religion. But then again, a lot of people actually feel saved by their faith, so perhaps that brainwashing isn't necessarily a bad thing, at least from their perspective.

So I guess the irony is that I've gone from wanting people to stop believing in religion to realizing I might actually benefit more if they keep believing, and perhaps even let them think I do too. But where do you draw the line between being socially strategic and being manipulative or malicious? Would you ever pretend to believe in something or follow something you don't if it opened doors for you or worked to your advantage? Is this just Fe turning Machiavellian, or have any of you had similar thoughts?

TL;DR: I'm agnostic and don't believe in organized religion, but I've started realizing how socially and professionally advantageous being religious can be. Would you ever pretend to share someone's religious beliefs to gain their trust or access opportunities, even if you fundamentally disagree with those beliefs? Is that just being strategic, or is it inherently manipulative, or does it not even work the way I think it does?

I've heard that eNtP don't really like INFP because they take thing's too personal but I really don't mind that. I feel like it's a small price to pay for someone who is super fun, silly and very kind don't you think. I really why don't get why so many eNtP make such a big deal about them being very fragile. I feel like we should just mature more. Plus they know exactly how we think.

I am an INTP, cultured yet kind, and I also wear skirts and dresses; I’m also on the shorter side (1.64 m). I imagine ENTPs might do something similar: being sharp-witted and mischievous, but with a touch of kindness that makes them irresistible.

I only open up to my boyfriend, my best friend, my father, and perhaps in anonymous spaces.

It is important to open up when necessary, but only with the right people, to prevent sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.

I have been in some mbti communities to understand the people around me better. Most of my friends have made the mbti test and it's pretty funny to see how accurate it is, but I noticed many people go typing the people around them themselves and honestly I feel it's pretty superficial. Many people online think my typing is not accurate because I live life differently than other people with my type and I get that in my case I am Intj that leans a bit towards intp.

For example I smile a lot, it's probably a defense mechanism, since I do it a lot when I am actually vividly angry, but I mostly smile because life is a lot easier, people treat you better. Why wouldn't a strategist use this simple thing that opens up opportunities and gets you out of trouble? And yeah, I do believe some things are true, intjs can be really stubborn, but it has nothing to do with arrogance (not saying there aren't arrogant intjs), but the stubbornness comes because what most people are saying isn't reaching my logic at all.

The problem is, we can't see each other's minds and what the thought process is behind it. But it's pretty annoying people say I am another type when I am asking for some perspective, because I apparently don't meet a standard an intj should have and funnily if I analyze the other intjs I have met (and know they are because they typed themselves), even if we act completely different from each other and have different beliefs, we have the same logic with dealing with stuff. And that's what I am trying to find out in these mbti communities, how to read them better.

For example why would an Entp lie? When would an intj be emotional? What's the Blindspot of an Entj? And when people honestly say I am an xxxx and that's how it is for me, it's actually the best information I get, because I can gather information, compare the information and then draw some conclusions and challenge them constantly. But sometimes it's just annoying, because it's like "You probably are mistyped because you aren't exactly how I imagine your type to be."

It's a bit of a rant, but I am also actually curious how some of you are so sure of other people's typing. For me it's more like I make them take the test and then I pretty much am like "Yeah that makes so much sense".