God Forbid

Is God multilingual? Does the divine speak Hebrew? Arabic? Latin? Or is it something more mysterious? This week on God Forbid, we’re asking: who gets to speak the language of God? And what happens when only a select few can read the sacred texts?  From ancient scrolls to colonial classrooms, religion has often been shaped — and controlled — by language and literacy. Guests: Prof Halim Rane, a scho...

What do dancing Mormons, blind dates, and superyachts have in common? They've all featured on so-called ‘reality TV’ shows. But just how ‘real’ are they?  Some argue reality tv is anti-feminist – yet the genre is consistently popular with young women, and a new reality TV show is breaking records with religious women at the centre of it – The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. It's not the first time T...

55 horror movies came out last year -  more than one a week - the most of any year this century. But why would make-believe horror double its box office share in a decade which has seen real existential fear: wars, pandemics, and natural disasters. And what do movies that scare us have to do with religions that comfort us? Well, they’re both interested in what you believe, ask questions about evil...

The Prime Minister says our cultural diversity is a strength and calls for "progressive patriotism". But global turmoil is making it's way to our shores in the form of demonstrations and violence on our streets.  What does the future hold for the ties that bind us together? And what IS progressive patriotism anyway? GUESTS: Prof, the Rev Peter Kurti, Director, Culture, Prosperity & Civil Socie...

With His Holiness the Dalai Lama turning 90 this month, every day that passes brings his succession closer. When he dies, the religious power struggle over his replacement will certainly be at the top of the Communist Party’s agenda. So what might lie in the future for Tibet in it's ongoing struggle for autonomy from Chinese rule? Is there a middle way that could be acceptable to both sides in the...

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 w...

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 g...

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 mov...

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 c...

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...

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 systems Rev Prof. Vicky Balabanski, Uniting Church minister and ecological theologian, General Editor of the Earth Bib...

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...

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.

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.

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 valu...

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?

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.

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? 

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?

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?

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

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?

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

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

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