God Forbid

What would make religious spaces more accessible for people with disabilities? Transcript available at the ABC God Forbid website. Guests:  Carly Findlay OAM, writer, speaker and activist Professor John Gilroy, ARC Research Fellow in Indigenous Disability and Community Development at the University of Sydney Dr Louise Gosbell, a disability theologian and Research Manager at the Australian College...

Cleansing rituals are a part of every major religion – from baptisms to Islamic Wudu, to bathing in sacred rivers. Where do these rituals come from and what do they mean to the faithful? 

From the sacred remains of saints to the revered memorabilia of celebrities and  sporting stars, relics are objects that act as a kind of a bridge between the material and spiritual world.  But why do religious and non-religious people alike gather to venerate these objects? Is it macabre, superstitious, or simply human?  

Surrogacy – carrying and giving birth to a baby for someone else – has been around at least since biblical times. But as the industry and fertility science advances, Christians and feminists remain divided on the issue.  

Why are so many Australians passionate about fishing? Is it simply the thrill of the catch or is there something deeper that keeps us hooked?

Love feels the same now as thousands of years ago, yet the rules around it are changing. On God Forbid, join James Carleton and the panel as they explore love in ancient times, to romance and dating today.

Exactly where do ideas and creative inspiration come from? ANd how do we explain when someone is 'blocked'; when the creative line goes dead? And what can be done about it?

Where we are really going when we walk or run – is it about finding the post-pain pleasure of endurance, or perhaps something more: self-awareness, meaning, or even wisdom? 

More of us in the West are seeking the help of shamans and psychedelic medicines. But why? And do they help?

What do Buddhism, Christianity and Islam say about eating meat? And how do believers navigate ethical concerns around the farming, exporting and slaughter of animals? 

Is it ok to lie to kids in order to protect them from harmful truths? And how can we raise them to be resilient, intellectually-critical adults?

Debates about funding and faith in schools has long been bitter and divisive in Australian history, and it continues until this day. So what makes a good school? And do schools help or hurt in the quest for the Aussie fair go?

Our youth obsessed culture is so pervasive that even calling someone an old woman or an old man can carry a negative meaning – but why should it? Old age can be the time when you find your most authentic self and the key to living well. 

Australia's religious landscape is complex and changing, so how should religion be reported on in the 21st century? As RN celebrates its 100th birthday, the panel reflects on what good religion reporting takes in an era of fake news, Tik Tok journalism and mainstream media distrust.

It was an ancient preoccupation, and now it's a modern obsession. So how has something as universal as sleep remained so mysterious? And what can the cultural and religious history of sleep, dreaming and insomnia teach us today?

Many people find purpose, value, and joy in work – even if it's not a dream job. But on the flip side, many are repelled by the hustle culture and burnout that comes from increased casualisation, unpaid overtime and labour shortages. On God Forbid we explore how, when, and why we work.

How is it that the physical brain can give rise to our subjective, intangible conscious experience? Why and how are we aware of being aware? It remains one of the great philosophical and scientific questions, and our God Forbid panel are here to discuss it.

You might think our belief in monsters is dead or dying – a superstitious relic. But regardless of the place on earth, or time in history, people say they see strange apparitions and ghostly figures. And as for things unseen, even more profess a belief in genies, spirits, angels and supernatural entities. 

How can a better understanding of what actually happened in a rapidly changing Europe and Middle East, 500 to 1,000 years ago, help us navigate complexities in the world today?

When it comes to addiction, why does the twelve step program work brilliantly for some, and fail miserably for others? And what are the spiritual roots of the program? 

Magic as we know it today is performance art, harmless entertainment –  from Penn and Teller to Siegfried and Roy, David Copperfield to Harry Houdini. But, magic, past and present, is stranger, richer and more complex than you imagine.

The rise of religious populism, and rejection of secularism, means the old demarcations of theocratic and secular, democratic and dictatorial are blurring. So what does it mean for the citizens living under these hybrid forms of government?

What do Buddhism, Christianity and Islam say about eating meat? And how do believers navigate the ethical concerns around the farming, exporting and slaughter of animals? 

Love feels the same now as thousands of years ago, yet the rules around it are changing. On God Forbid, join James Carleton and the panel as they explore love in ancient times, to romance and dating today.

Is there a religious aspect to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? What are the ethics of an autonomous weapon killing a human? Do mercenary groups believe in the principles of 'Just War'? And where is ISIS?