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PODCAST

God Forbid

Religion: it’s at the centre of world affairs, but profound questions still remain. Why are you here? What happens when you die? Does God matter? God Forbid seeks the answers.

religion & spirituality philosophy

All Episodes

0:54:06

Hair...flow it, grow it, show it... as long as God...

God Forbid ·

2025/06/20

On God Forbid we’re talking about the sacred strands that sprout from our skulls. Whether it’s being grown long, shaved off, or covered up... hair has long been a point of contention for faith communities. Claims of both modesty AND freedom come up when we discuss hair coverings... and often a similar piece of fabric will elicit very different responses depending on the religion of the person wearing it. From turbans to tonsures, hijabs to high-top fades... hair is more than

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0:54:07

Leading with love: women are taking the church into...

God Forbid ·

2025/06/13

In Australia, and beyond, women are taking on religious leadership in ways that would have been unthinkable decades ago. But change and faith is a complex brew. And for every breakthrough, there's backlash. And the arguments aren't just theological – they're personal too, touching on tradition, culture, and what it means to be faithful in a changing world. So, what happens when the drive for gender equality meets the weight of sacred tradition? GUESTS:Pastor Sue Westhorpe last

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0:54:04

Monogamy: Is it still the gold standard of intimate...

God Forbid ·

2025/06/06

Although the Australian population has doubled in size since the early 1970s, the number of marriages registered each year has not increased over this time.And…interest in poly modes of intimacy are on the rise.So, what do people want in their intimate relationships and indeed marriages in 2025?Can we still make a case for monogamy – dedication to “the one” till death do us part? Or are we moving towards new models of intimacy?GUESTS:Justine Toh is Senior Research Fellow at the

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0:54:07

Stealing my religion: When does religious...

God Forbid ·

2025/05/31

Is religious appropriation an act of reverence? Or cultural theft? Yoga at the gym, meditation via an app on your phone, sage-smudging a corporate office. Religious rituals and traditions are being taken out of their original context and used in everyday life by people outside the culture and faith they're taken from. Could this be considered a kind of theft? Or is this part of a healthy modern cultural exchange? To explore the ethical and spiritual implications of wellness-ifying

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0:54:06

Coercion, control and worship: Where do we draw the...

God Forbid ·

2025/05/23

Is a cult a misunderstood religion? Or something much more dangerous?The line between high-control religions, new religious movements, and 'cults' is as grey as ever. But the fascination we have with these groups is only getting stronger. What counts as a 'cult'? Is it your highly controlling tech workplace? Your gym with a forever-binding contract? Or does the casual use of the word 'cult' do a disservice to those stuck in dangerous and emotionally manipulative religious and

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0:54:05

Bodies bodies bodies: burial, belief and death across...

God Forbid ·

2025/05/16

How do different religions treat the dead? What do their burial practices say about the soul? And in an era of environmental crisis and shrinking space, how might death rituals evolve?GUESTS:Dr Paul Tapsell, Māori academic at Lincoln University and expert in Indigenous knowledge systemsRev Prof. Vicky Balabanski, Uniting Church minister and ecological theologian, General Editor of the Earth Bible seriesAnnie Whitlocke, Buddhist death doula supporting people at the end of life

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0:54:06

The Devil you know: Satan’s journey from scripture to...

God Forbid ·

2025/05/09

From fallen angel to Netflix anti-hero, the Devil has had quite the makeover. In this episode of God Forbid, Sami Shah leads a devilishly good panel exploring the many faces of Satan — from ancient Hebrew texts to modern Satanism.Is the Devil a cosmic villain, a cultural scapegoat, or a misunderstood metaphor? We unpack how different religions and movements have shaped — and reshaped — the Prince of Darkness over time. Why did monotheism need a Devil when polytheism didn’t? What

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0:53:50

BONUS: Noel Debien and Dr Paul Collins reflect on the...

God Forbid ·

2025/05/03

In this special bonus episode of God Forbid, Noel Debien sits down with Dr Paul Collins, former Catholic priest, broadcaster, author of many books on the Catholicism and Pope, including his most recent work - Absolute Power: How the Pope became the most influential man in the world. Together Noel and Paul discuss the legacy of Pope Francis and the complex history of the Papacy.

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0:54:05

What lies beyond the conclave for the Catholic Church

God Forbid ·

2025/05/02

The papal conclave is set to begin on May 7. As the Sistine Chapel closes its doors to the public, preparations are underway for a secret process that will determine the next leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Coming to you from outside Saint Peter's Basilica this week, the God Forbid panel find out what lies ahead for the Catholic church.

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0:54:06

How powerful is the Muslim vote this upcoming election?

God Forbid ·

2025/04/25

In Australia, we like to think of ourselves as a multicultural success story, where freedom of religion, expression, and democracy coexist without conflict. But what happens when religion moves from the private sphere into political activism?Muslim Votes Matter is a new political advocacy group calling on Muslim Australians to vote not just as individuals, but as a community united by shared values, priorities, and frustrations. From Islamophobia to Gaza, their campaign has made

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0:54:06

Why do we fear fat?

God Forbid ·

2025/04/17

For most of history, body size has been about more than just health — it’s been a tool of control. From colonial ideals of “discipline” to modern-day diet culture, our ideas about fatness and thinness are deeply tied to morality, power, and profit. But are we getting it all wrong?

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0:54:06

Week with Students: Does religion have a place in the...

God Forbid ·

2025/04/11

Generation Z and Generation Alpha have often come under fire for being disconnected and increasingly isolated from their peers. Could a decrease in religious education to be to blame? Or is religion fated to lose its grip on the younger generations for good? God Forbid speaks to high school students to get the answer.

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0:54:04

Did the human species invent the Bible?

God Forbid ·

2025/04/04

But if God says that man is fallible, and man wrote the Bible, then how can we know that the Bible is the true word of God? Where do our ideas of God come from? Is he purely a human-made invention, used to tell a morally compelling ancient story?

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0:54:06

When is it okay to cut off your parents?

God Forbid ·

2025/03/28

When does cutting off a parent go from self-care to severing ties unnecessarily? What are the ethics behind going 'no contact' with difficult family members?

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0:54:07

Doomsday or just good planning? The ethics of prepping

God Forbid ·

2025/03/21

If disaster strikes, are you ready? From faith-driven survivalists to billionaire bunkers, the rise of prepping raises big ethical questions. Is it wise foresight or doomsday paranoia? And in a crisis, do we fend for ourselves or help others?

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0:54:07

How are creators using TikTok to bring history to a...

God Forbid ·

2025/03/14

How can you ethically condense millions of years of history, religion, and culture into a 30-second video?

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0:54:07

Pope Francis and the Legacy He Leaves Behind

God Forbid ·

2025/03/07

Pope Francis was the first pope from South America, and was said to be one of the most progressive and humble popes in Catholic history. But can the Church sustain his legacy?

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0:54:07

Mardi Gras special: on being gay and Godly

God Forbid ·

2025/02/28

How do queer people stay faithful? And how do people raised on religion celebrate being sexually and gender diverse?

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0:54:06

Religion, drugs, and the power of mind-altering...

God Forbid ·

2025/02/21

How have 'psychedelics' and recreational drugs affected (and been affected by) religion?

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0:54:07

Close encounters of the religious kind: how God and...

God Forbid ·

2025/02/14

Believers have long looked to the heavens for meaning, believing in not only God, but UFOs as well.

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