God Forbid

Helping the haves and have-nots

What happens when the rich and poor come together to worship?

Hello? Who's calling?

No, not a phone call, but a vocational call – not to a career necessarily, but to fulfil your life’s purpose. How do you figure out what that is? There’s too much to choose from!

Hello? Who's calling?

No, not a phone call, but a vocational call – not to a career necessarily, but to fulfil your life’s purpose. How do you figure out what that is? There’s too much to choose from!

Can you make a rational case for Christianity?

Sorry not sorry, we’re exploring apologetics. James Carleton is joined by an ex-Mormon atheist and a Christian apologist who, amongst other things, once gave a Bible to a senior Taliban leader.

Seeking Sikhism through slam and song

Sikhism has quietly contributed to Australian society for the last 150 years – it wouldn’t be the same country without it!

Radical religion

Does religion cause violence?

Hinduism – where’s the beef?

Hinduism is one of the most ancient religions still practised today, and while most religious communities in Australia are shrinking, Hinduism grows.

What’s the secret to happiness?

What does it mean to be happy, even amongst despair?

Probing the religious fringe

James Carleton is joined by a cult-busting expert, a former cult member and a six-foot lesbian ex-Mormon to probe the world of sects and cults.

Living clean to feel serene

People used to get that inner-glow through karma or Christ, but now it can be achieved through cleansing, contemplation and colonics.

God and pop culture

James Carleton is joined by two Christians who seek to find the divine spark in screen and song.

Money! Money! Money!

Do you buy stuff you never use? And then do you throw it away? Is it choice, or is there something more destructive going on ?

The myths that make us

From Homer’s Odyssey to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, the hero myth is ubiquitous. Sacred stories are fundamental to the major religions, too. So, how relevant are these ancient myths in modern society?

Christianity, science, reason

How compatible are the sciences with religion and belief?

Anti -Semitism

Antisemitism: It’s sometimes called the oldest hatred.

The Reformation

500 years ago, Martin Luther took on the biggest power in Europe: the Catholic Church.

Faith and caring for the environment

This week, five Anglican archbishops urged world leaders to keep their promises ahead of climate summit in Bonn, Germany, next month.

War, religion and peace activism

Are the "ethics" of war and torture an oxymoron? And George Gittoes, the Australian artist known as the peace activist who goes to war zones.

The future of faith

In a country where a growing number are identifying as atheists, where do young people stand? Evangelicals are the biggest group of Christians on university campuses, but is that reflected elsewhere in Australian society?

Jews and Judaism

The Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur took place Saturday September 30. It is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Women and Islam

What does it mean to be a feminist in Saudi Arabia? And how should we navigate the politics of head coverings? This week, three Muslim women from vastly different backgrounds tackle the common misconceptions surrounding their gender and faith.

Same Sex Marriage

As the postal survey on same sex marriage gets underway, we take a look at the arguments of the 'YES' and ' NO' campaigns , including some unexpected ones.

Death, dying and grief

It was the late psychiatrist Dr Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's book On Death and Dying that changed our attitudes to death and grief. Kubler-Ross was passionate about palliative care and what she saw as the disrespect of the dying in hospitals around the world.

The Partition of India

What purpose does partition serve? It's 75 years since the sub-continent was divided into India and Pakistan, and later, Bangladesh. But what does it mean when as many Muslims live in India as they do in Pakistan? How futile are partitions?

Pilgrimage

It's a journey of a lifetime taken by many people of faith to seek healing, to find out what's important in life, or to walk in the steps of the prophets.

Witchcraft, Paganism and Satanism

We're culturally fascinated by witchcraft  – and Satanism - and the mysterious side of religion.

Technology, science and religion

For science week, God Forbid takes a forensic look at social media, military and medical technology.

Sex Education

Salt 'n Pepa's 90s song Let's Talk About Sex was a hit among young people, but it's a subject that can still be awkward to talk about with your kids. And in the religious world, sex education can be very hotly contested.

Losing my religion

What happens when you can no longer ignore those doubts about your faith?

Faith in a secular country

Australia is increasingly becoming a secular country. No longer is the church dominant in public and social affairs, and following the sex abuse scandal that's rocked it, the church has lost much of its moral authority. But we are increasingly diverse in our faith. Islam ( 2.6 percent ) and Buddhism (2.4 percent) are the two biggest faiths after Christianity, with Sikhism and Hinduism the fastest growing religions. And though still the bigg...

Comedy, Satire and Religion

A well-timed joke is truly a blessing, but can one laugh about their religion? What about somebody else's?

Women and religion

Historically they haven't gotten much recognition - and in many traditions they are barred from becoming clergy - but without women religious life would grind to a halt. In this episode we hear from Jewish, Catholic and Buddhist women about gender, marriage, music and more.

Small faiths, big beliefs: Minority religions in Australia

Religion! It's not just about Christians and Muslims, you know. Minority faiths comprise an important part of the Australian religious landscape. In this best-of episode, James Carleton finds out about Bahá'ís, Sikhs, Jews and Mandaeans, and asks if Indigenous Christians can hold true to both their religion and the spiritual aspect of their culture.

What's the secret to happiness?

A clinical psychologist, a mindfulness practitioner, and a positive psychology expert join forces to discover if heaven really is a place on earth.

Identity politics: Indigenous, Muslim and Syrian Perspectives

No matter how you feel about identity politics, it’s changing political discourses. This week, James Carlton asks how our ethnic and religious identities affect our approach to the world.

Being Christian in an increasingly secular country?

This week we ask the God Forbid panel is it hard to come out as Christian in an increasingly secular country?

Sikhs in Australia

The little known history of Sikhs in Australia has many surprises

Extremism, its survivors and those fighting back

Fighting terrorism needn't be on the battlefield. Our two guests have used satire and comedy to challenge religious extremism. And we go to the Top End to talk to the first rapper in Indigenous languages for Reconciliation Week.

Hinduism, India and the diaspora

A very special edition this week because we have two Hindus you won’t forget. Therefore it’s Gods Forbid.

Politics in the churches

Should religions be be politically engaged? What does it mean to be progressive? Or conservative?

Religious persecution, the Bahá'í and loving your enemy.

This week, we talk to members of the Bahá'í community, an Anglican priest here in Sydney e to take part in theatre sports, legendary music maker Louie Shelton, and the non violence message of Martin Luther King

God Forbid: Science vs Religion ?

There's probably more than a middle point here

Music and healing, Muslims in the media