Does religion make you happier? ⛪️🙏😇

The boys try to find G*d

Hello beautiful NSTers,

Now that we’re in the thick of the holiday season, we thought it would be a good time to reflect on some of the bigger questions. Is there a God? What happens after you die? Does bowling make you happier than Catholic Mass? And mainly: are religious people happier than others? While some data point to an increase in religiosity among young people, there’s been a worldwide decline overall. We dive into the research to find out how religion impacts well-being, and I go to synagogue for the first time in decades.

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Our guests this week are Dr. Harold G. Koenig, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University, and Rabbi Jason Klein of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah. Below, you’ll find links to some related research, and a quick scene report from Shabbat service.

Scenes from Shabbat

On a crisp fall Friday evening, my wife and I walked into Congregation Beit Simchat Torah, a non-denominational progressive synagogue here in New York. On the way there, I realized I haven’t been inside a temple for maybe 15 years. As everyone milled around making small talk before the service began, we were promptly greeted by various members, asking who we are and if we’ve attended before. This is when I had to confess that I was there primarily for podcasting purposes, but that excuse is what gave me the push to do something I really wouldn’t have done on my own. And I had a nice time! It’s kind of incredible (and unfortunate) how unusual it is to have such an easy way of meeting new people. Yes, in 2025, I learned why people have been congregating in religious services for thousands of years.

The main event got underway, this evening’s particular service being a commemoration of the November pogroms and Kristallnacht of 1938, featuring music by German and Austrian Jewish composers. On the whole, it was a very engaging and fulfilling night, a comforting way to cap off the week. It was nice to have space to sit in my thoughts, to reflect on history both ancient and recent, and to connect with those around me.

I can’t say yet that I’ll be making a weekly visit to temple, but even this one outing was instructive as to how valuable it is to have a simple and accessible outlet to connect with people in your own community. I’ll wrap this up for now, but a big thanks to Rabbi Jason Klein and the rest of the team at CBST for their hospitality. For more, check out their website.

Related links

• ISRN Psychiatry: Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications

• Pew Research Center: Religion’s Relationship to Happiness, Civic Engagement and Health Around the World

• Gallup: Religion and Wellbeing in the U.S.: Update

• New Barna Data: Young Adults Lead a Resurgence in Church Attendance

• New York Times Op-Ed: New York’s Hottest Club Is the Catholic Church

Here’s the trailer for the referenced Bill Maher documentary “Religulous.” Different times…

I also highly recommend The Kingdom by Emmanuel Carrère about the early days of the Christian church.

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