The best age to get married, have kids and retire, according to people around the world

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Last week, I joked on X that I’m aiming to retire from religion reporting in 2045. If I stick with that date, I’ll be entering retirement at 55 — earlier than my own parents did and, as it turns out, earlier than people around the world recommend.

A recent Pew Research Center survey found that, across 18 mostly middle-income countries, the average age people name when you ask them when is best to retire is 57.9.

“Country averages for the ideal retirement age range from early 50s to early 60s — that is, 52.1 in Colombia to 62.7 in Nigeria,” Pew reported.

Researchers also asked about the right time to get married and have kids.

According to the survey respondents, I reached both milestones too late.

The average answer for the ideal age to get married is 25.9 (I was about to turn 28) and the average answer for having your first child was 26.1 (I had just turned 30.)

Pew found that people’s relationship to religion seems to affect how they answered.

“People who say religion is very important in their life tend to suggest marriage and parenthood at a younger age, compared with people who say religion is only somewhat, not too or not at all important to them,” researchers wrote.

The United States was not one of the 18 countries included in Pew’s main report, but the center fielded a separate online survey among 3,600 U.S. adults.

“Anywhere from about a third to half of Americans say there is no best age to achieve these milestones. Among those who say there is a best age, many say it’s ideal to get married, have a child and buy a home between the ages of 25 and 34. And 45% of Americans say the best age to retire is in one’s 60s,” Pew found.

Fresh off the press

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The Supreme Court just ruled in favor of gun restrictions. Here’s why

Term of the week: Black Mass

Law enforcement officials at the Kansas Statehouse dealt with a unique religious freedom conflict on Friday as self-described satanists attempted to hold a Black Mass on the property.

A Black Mass is a satanic ceremony that’s viewed as sacrilegious by Catholics and members of many other faith groups.

In anticipation of the satanists’ gathering, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly temporarily banned protests inside the Statehouse, according to The Associated Press. But the group still gathered outside, where they were met by Christian counterprotesters.

The satanists and their supporters “rallied outside the Statehouse for the separation of church and state. The group also protested what members called the state’s favoritism toward Christians in allowing events inside,” the AP reported.

When some members of the group attempted to go into the Statehouse and hold the Black Mass, violence broke out, leading to four arrests.

What I’m reading…

If you read last week’s newsletter, you know that Yeshiva University officials recently settled a lengthy legal battle over an LGBTQ student club. But you likely don’t know that there’s been another twist in the unusual conflict: On Thursday, Forward reported that Yeshiva’s president, Rabbi Ari Berman, has apologized for how the school unveiled the settlement and rejected the idea that expressions of “LGBTQ Pride” are welcome on campus.

June will mark 10 years since a Supreme Court ruling legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Ahead of the anniversary, several conservative religious organizations are openly discussing their plans to get the decision overturned, according to Religion News Service.

Slate recently explored the complicated emotions that follow in the wake of acts of generosity, including resentment.

And finally, here’s a story from The Washington Post that’s been on my mind since I read it: We should be living in the golden age of hobbies. What happened?

Odds and ends

Do any of you follow “The Amazing Race”? I’m interviewing two of this season’s competitors, Scott and Lori Thompson, later this week about their experience on the show, their large family and their faith, and I would love to hear if there are any questions you’d like me to ask.