Article

Religion and Religious Values in Consumer Society: Luxury Hadj and Umrah Cases

Abstract

Two of the most obvious characteristics of contemporary society are consumerism and the revival of religion. Turkish society, especially in the last decade, has demonstrated almost all the codes of a consumer society. The goal of this study is to determine the aspects of interaction between these codes and religion along with its values and symbols. The first part, which is theoretical, analyses the consumer society/culture and is folloowed by an examination of the relation between a consumer culture and religious values via abs- traction, speculation and comparision. Next, some Islamic values found in Turkish society have been chosen in order to study their interaction with that country’s consumer culture. In addition to luxuary iftar organisations and ostentatious attire among religious people, a sample case will be presented; that of the contemporary luxury hadj and umrah. The data, which was collected through interviews and documentation, reveal that the influence of Turkey’s consumer society and its culture has made the realization of the hadj and umrah’s basic points and targeted aims, like many other religious values and experiences, more difficult. In addition, individuals cannot escape the thought patterns of consumption and its behavioural habits while performing religious practices.

Keywords

Consumption Consumer Society Religious Values Consuming Religion Commodification