God Forbid - Podcast

Loneliness affects one in four Australians, according to a report by the Australian Psychological Society. Why is it so hard to talk about, even though it's so common? James and the panel look at the issue — both professionally and personally.

Recently one of Australia's best-known poets, Les Murray, passed away at the age of eighty. James Carleton and the panel remember Murray and discuss how his faith influenced his writing.

Restrictions on people of faith around the world — imposed by governments, individuals and groups — are increasing, not decreasing. James and the panel navigate the complexities of religious persecution from Ireland to the Middle East, and from the political to the personal.

As the election campaign draws to a close, the God Forbid panel explores how the small but vibrant religious and ethnic community press engages with federal politics.

All of us will experience grief and the loss of a loved one at some point in our lives, but why is it so hard to come to terms with? The God Forbid panel looks at grief and mortality.

"Why aren't you married yet?" Being single is a stigma in faith-based communities which extol marriage and family. Guest host Justine Toh and the God Forbid panel explore why being single doesn't mean going it alone.

You can buy a zombie Jesus t-shirt on Amazon — but was Jesus undead? Join guest host Justine Toh and the God Forbid panel as they explore what Easter means for our bodies, our economics and even the end of the world.

What's God got to do with education? James Carleton gets schooled in funding, religious literacy and school chaplains.

For centuries, Lent has been a period of fasting and sacrifice, but tradition rarely stays traditional. A Catholic archbishop, a Zen master and a social justice-seeking pastor give their take on what giving things up looks like in 2019.

Religious and ethical issues have dominated what has already been a huge year of news. In the first hot potatoes episode of 2019, the God Forbid panel looks back on the headlines and examines radicalisation, problematic artists and millennial burnout.

Is God beyond gender? What about humans? This week Christian and Jewish trans women describe coming out while in ministry and what it taught them about the divine.

As the Holi festival approaches, we revisit one of our favourite episodes about Hinduism, one of the most ancient religions still practised today, and while most religious communities in Australia are shrinking, Hinduism grows.

The conviction of Cardinal George Pell has shaken Catholics across the country and around the world. The God Forbid panel discusses what it means for Catholic identity, ecclesiastical power and reform efforts already underway.

Sometimes small religions achieve extraordinary things. James Carleton is joined by a Quaker and a Zen Buddhist to explore how minority faiths can still have a big impact on society, even in the midst of persecution.

Should the government tax the rich to help the poor? Christianity has a lot to say about economics, so James Carleton is joined by an economist and a tax justice advocate to explore Christian ideas about the needy and the greedy.

In once way or another, we’ve been falling in love for all recorded history. A Buddhist monk, Christian minister and Muslim scholar join forces to talk about love — what is it, and what does it compel us to do?

In the survival of the fittest, how do the meek inherit the earth? James Carleton is joined by two prominent Anglican theologians with very different ideas to discuss evolution, the ordination of women and how the Bible shapes how they see the world.

The computer scientist Alan Turing said the standard for artificial intelligence is for a machine to be mistaken for a human by other humans. This already happens today, and AI is only getting more sophisticated. James Carleton and the God Forbid panel consider cybernetics, sex robots and weapons that decide for themselves who to kill. The future is closer than you think.

This year is already shaping up to be a big one for religion and politics. In response to the passage of same-sex marriage, the Ruddock Review into religious freedom concluded Australia needs a religious discrimination act. So is it the missing piece in the Australian human rights puzzle, or would it enable discrimination in the name of religion?

It’s no joke: For people of every faith – or none – whether you take alcohol or drugs is a big deal. But the rules vary wildly, even within a tradition. Some Christians include alcohol as a core part of their most sacred ritual, but other Christians forbid its use altogether. How come? James Carleton dives into what helps people choose to use, and how to stop.