Religious Hobbyism as a Growing Social Pathology: The Commodification of Faith and the Erosion of Civic Engagement

This study examines the emergence of religious hobbyism as a measurable social pathology that mirrors Eitan Hersh's concept of political hobbyism. Religious hobbyism is defined as shallow, consumerist, performative engagement with religion that prioritizes personal gratification over genuine spiritual commitment or civic action. Drawing on data from Pew Research Center, Gallup, World Values Survey, and analysis of social media religious engagement, this paper demonstrates how religious hobbyism undermines civic trust, deepens social polarization, and weakens traditional religious institutions. The research reveals that religious hobbyism manifests through commodified spirituality, social media performativity, and consumer-driven religious engagement that strips faith traditions of their deeper meaning and social function. Key findings include a 300-1500% growth in commodified spiritual products, declining institutional religious participation despite maintained spiritual identity, and concerning pathways from hobbyist spirituality to extremist ideologies. This paper argues that religious hobbyism represents a significant threat to democratic participation and social cohesion, requiring urgent scholarly attention and policy intervention.