Cut Through

Cut Through
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Cut Through is a podcast for people who are tired of noise, outrage, and shallow thinking — and want clarity instead. Hosted by Christian Co, the show features honest, long-form conversations with thinkers, leaders, and everyday people who have lived through failure, doubt, faith, ambition, loss, and rebuilding. Together, they explore the ideas that shape a meaningful life — identity, purpose, power, truth, culture, work, and belief. While especially relevant for young men navigating adulthood in a fragmented culture, these conversations are for anyone who wants to cut through the noise and

  1. 6d ago

    37. How Can I Forgive the Unforgivable?

    What do you do when someone who was supposed to protect you becomes the person who hurts you most? Phil Yates was sexually abused by his father as a child. For years, the memory remained buried. Then, at 21, it came back, bringing with it anger, confusion and questions that threatened to consume him. But abuse wasn’t the only adversity Phil faced. Growing up with undiagnosed dyslexia, Phil struggled academically, failed at school and eventually made it to university only to be kicked out. He was told he probably didn’t have the intelligence to succeed at university. He went back anyway. Phil eventually graduated and became a teacher, spending 14 years working with young people, including students facing serious behavioural problems, broken homes and abuse. Over the years, he became a mentor to young people others had struggled to reach. His own experiences shaped the way he saw them: instead of focusing only on bad behaviour, he learned to look for the hurt underneath it. In this deeply personal conversation, Phil talks openly about what his father did, the anger he carried, why he chose to forgive him, and why forgiveness didn’t mean forgetting, trusting him again or pretending the abuse didn’t matter. We explore: • What childhood sexual abuse did to Phil’s trust, identity and anger • Why forgiving his father became about freeing himself, not excusing what happened • The difference between forgiveness, forgetting, trust and reconciliation • Failing at school, living with dyslexia and being kicked out of university • How someone written off academically became a teacher and mentor to young people • What Phil learned about masculinity, responsibility and asking for help • Where God was when the abuse happened and how it challenged Phil’s faith • How faith, forgiveness and honest conversations helped him find peace and hope Whatever has happened to you, Phil’s story raises a confronting question: will what someone else did determine who you become? Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/g3KaqNlpmqQ

    37. How Can I Forgive the Unforgivable?

  2. Sep 11

    36. Never Good Enough: My Search For Identity

    What happens when your whole life is built around proving that you’re good enough? SJ Foaga knows that struggle firsthand. Diagnosed with epilepsy at 14, he spent his teenage years watching friends do things that seemed normal while wondering why life looked different for him. At the same time, he was driven to achieve, desperate to make his family proud and increasingly tying his identity to performance and the approval of others. Then things fell apart. After doing well at school, SJ struggled at university. He stopped looking after himself, gained 25kg, failed his classes and was eventually kicked out. What began as failure in one area of life became something much deeper: “I’m a failure. I’ll never amount to anything.” SJ isn’t speaking as someone who has studied young men’s struggles from a distance. At 28, he’s lived them. He’s wrestled with chronic illness, failure, body image, approval, cultural expectations, faith and the question of what it actually means to become a man. Today he works directly with young people through teaching, basketball coaching, speaking, motivating and mentoring, using his own experience to help other young men navigate some of the same questions. In this conversation, we talk honestly about: • Growing up with epilepsy and feeling different from everyone else• Why achievement can never finally make you feel good enough• Getting five school awards and still feeling like his best wasn’t enough• Failing university, gaining 25kg and being kicked out• The danger of letting one failure define who you are• Fitness, body image and chasing validation from women and others• Why even “optimising” your life can leave you feeling empty• Growing up Samoan and navigating family, culture, respect and independence• Why sometimes you have to be willing to disappoint people• The difference between genuine community, codependency and isolation• What healthy friendships between young men actually look like• Growing up believing God’s love had to be earned• Why SJ once saw God as a wrathful judge• The conversation that completely changed his understanding of Christianity• Finding an identity that doesn’t rise and fall with achievement, appearance or other people’s opinions• What SJ now believes it really means to be a man• Three things he wishes he could tell his 18-year-old self If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re good enough, felt like one failure defines you, or struggled to work out who you actually are beneath everyone else’s expectations, this conversation is for you. 🎬 Watch the full interview:https://youtu.be/q4cQ3xV2nkM

    36. Never Good Enough: My Search For Identity

  3. Sep 4

    35. Breaking a World Record Wasn’t Enough

    Paul Fua broke two world records, jet-skied 16,472km around Australia and helped raise more than $2.5 million for charity. But achievement didn’t give him what he thought it would. Paul went on to chase money and business success — until the Global Financial Crisis brought his business to its knees and forced him to question the pride and self-reliance that had driven much of his life. Today, Paul has been a CEO, business owner, teacher and school principal, and now oversees an education system of 10 schools. His experience with thousands of young people gives him a unique perspective on what young men are searching for — purpose, identity and something worth living for. In this conversation: Why breaking a world record wasn’t enoughThe trap of “I’ll be happy when…”Why success can still leave you emptyPride, ambition and the danger of self-relianceWhat young men are really searching forWhy Paul walked away from opportunities worth millionsThe experience that transformed his faith at 40The evidence that convinced him to take God seriouslyWhere to start if you’re open to exploring faithYou don’t need to be religious to listen to this. If you’re chasing success, trying to figure out what your life is actually for, or quietly wondering whether there’s something more — this conversation is for you. 🎬 Watch the full interview on YouTube:https://youtu.be/5Az6UclYDN4

    35. Breaking a World Record Wasn’t Enough

  4. Aug 28

    34. From Witchcraft to Law: My Search for Truth

    What does a lawyer who has spent her career weighing evidence, questioning witnesses and searching for truth do when the biggest question becomes whether God actually exists? Rebecca Cheers is a lawyer with a background in both law and psychology who has worked for the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions, appearing regularly in court and dealing with serious criminal cases. Her work exposed her to murder, sexual assault, questions of guilt and innocence, unreliable witnesses, human bias and the difficult reality that truth is often harder to establish than we think. In this conversation, Rebecca takes us inside the world of law before sharing her own remarkable search for truth, from agnosticism and witchcraft to investigating the evidence for Christianity. We explore: • What movies and TV get wrong about lawyers • Why good lawyers aren’t just people who know the law • How lawyers defend people accused of terrible crimes • Whether lawyers can actually tell when someone is lying • The psychological toll of working on serious criminal cases • The most difficult case Rebecca worked on as a prosecutor • How AI could transform the legal profession • Why Rebecca became involved in Wicca and witchcraft as a teenager • What caused her to begin questioning those beliefs • How she investigated the world’s major religions looking for truth • Why the historical evidence surrounding Jesus caught her attention • How archaeology, history and biblical prophecy influenced her thinking • Why she believes Christianity stands up to a lawyer’s standard of evidence • How finding faith changed her understanding of purpose, peace and what makes life worth living Rebecca’s journey wasn’t about switching off her brain and simply believing. It was about asking questions, examining competing claims and following the evidence wherever she believed it led. Whether you’re sceptical, searching, interested in law, questioning what you believe, or simply trying to work out what is actually true, this conversation is for you. 🎬 Watch the full episode on YouTube:https://youtu.be/1zD90g30HA0

    34. From Witchcraft to Law: My Search for Truth

  5. Aug 21

    33. I Quit Pro Football For This

    Silvan Wallner achieved the dream millions of young footballers chase. By 18, he was a professional. He played for FC Zürich, competed on the European stage and represented Switzerland at youth level. Behind it were years of discipline, sacrifice, pressure and the relentless pursuit of becoming better. Then, at just 22, Silvan walked away from professional football. In this episode of Cut Through, Silvan opens up about what it actually takes to make it as a professional athlete, what life at the top is really like, and the pressure that comes when your career becomes a huge part of your identity. But this conversation goes much deeper than football. Silvan shares how he began questioning what he believed, started exploring the Bible and Jesus for himself, and eventually faced a decision that put everything he’d worked for against his growing convictions. In this conversation: What it really takes to become a professional footballerThe sacrifices young athletes make that most fans never seeHandling mistakes, competition and pressure at the highest levelWhat happens when your career becomes your identitySilvan’s unexpected journey from curiosity about God to Christian faithThe decision that led him to quit professional football at 22Why the Sabbath became a line he wasn’t willing to crossThe doubts and questions he’s wrestled with sinceWhy Silvan believes he found something worth more than the career he gave upWhere young men searching for meaning, purpose and peace can startYou don’t have to share Silvan’s beliefs to wrestle with the question at the heart of his story: What would have to be worth more than the dream you’ve spent your whole life chasing? 🎬 Watch the full interview:https://youtu.be/0PlRFPy5eJg

    33. I Quit Pro Football For This

  6. Aug 13

    32. Life Lessons from a Teenage Pharaoh

    What can a teenage pharaoh who died over 3,000 years ago teach us about life today? In this episode of Cut Through, we sit down with Wayne French—youth mentor, educator, creator of the Tutankhamun Roadshow, and a lifelong student of archaeology and ancient history. For decades, Wayne has travelled throughout Egypt, Israel, Turkey and the Middle East, studying ancient civilizations, collecting authentic artefacts, and bringing history to life for thousands of young people through his travelling museum and interactive presentations. Starting with the incredible discovery of King Tut’s tomb, this conversation explores one of history’s greatest mysteries before asking some even bigger questions. Can archaeology really help us understand the past? Can ancient discoveries strengthen the credibility of the Bible? And what can a teenage pharaoh, who died over 3,000 years ago, teach a generation searching for purpose, identity and truth? Whether you’re skeptical, curious, or simply searching for something real, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about history, evidence, faith and what actually gives life meaning. Key discussion points Why King Tut became history’s most famous teenage pharaohThe political mystery surrounding Tutankhamun’s deathHoward Carter’s discovery that changed archaeology foreverWhy archaeology is about much more than goldAncient Egypt’s beliefs about the afterlife—and why we’re still asking the same questions todayThe Dead Sea Scrolls and what they reveal about the Bible’s reliabilityArchaeological discoveries connected to King David, Babylon and ancient IsraelCan archaeology prove the Bible—or simply provide evidence?Why evidence doesn’t automatically produce beliefWhat ancient history teaches us about purpose, love and living a life that mattersWayne’s challenge to every young person searching for hope and truth 🎥 Watch the full video interview:https://youtu.be/b5Nr7CihgTQ

    32. Life Lessons from a Teenage Pharaoh

  7. Aug 7

    31. The Odds Against Our Universe Are Insane

    Most of us have grown up believing that science has answered life’s biggest questions. But what if the deeper we’ve looked into the universe, the more mysterious it has become? In this episode of Cut Through, we sit down with Dr Luke Barnes — theoretical astrophysicist, cosmologist, Senior Lecturer in Physics at Western Sydney University, and internationally recognised researcher in the fine-tuning of the universe. Luke has spent decades studying how galaxies form, how the universe works, and why many of the fundamental constants of physics appear remarkably suited for complexity and life. He is also the co-author of A Fortunate Universe, written with atheist physicist Geraint Lewis, exploring one of the biggest questions in modern science. This isn’t a debate about religion. It’s a conversation about reality. Together, we explore what modern physics has discovered, where science reaches its limits, and why some of the world’s leading scientists still believe the universe points beyond itself. In this conversation we explore: Why 95% of the universe is still a mystery to modern scienceThe strange discoveries that completely changed our understanding of realityWhat physicists mean by the “fine-tuning” of the universeWhether the multiverse really explains away fine-tuningWhy science can’t answer every question about existenceThe difference between scientific explanations and philosophical onesWhy Luke believes science and faith are not enemiesThe strongest criticisms of fine-tuning — including the multiverse and “God of the gaps”Whether morality, beauty and love can be explained by science aloneWhy so many intelligent scientists still believe in GodPractical advice for anyone who’s sceptical, curious and genuinely searchingWhether you’re convinced, unconvinced, or somewhere in between, this episode isn’t asking you to stop thinking. It’s an invitation to think more deeply.

    31. The Odds Against Our Universe Are Insane

  8. Jul 30

    30. I Was Pronounced Dead At 18

    She was 18 years old when doctors pronounced her dead. Before that moment, Benita’s life had already been marked by tragedy. After finding her mum dead from a heart attack at just five years old, she grew up in a chaotic home, searching for belonging, identity and an escape from the pain. Alcohol, depression, self-harm and repeated suicide attempts became her way of coping—until one night, after swallowing a bottle of medication, her heart stopped. Medical staff believed there was nothing more they could do. But one nurse refused to give up. In this conversation, Benita shares the full story of what led her there, what happened when she was clinically dead, and why surviving changed the direction of her entire life. Today, Benita isn’t speaking as someone with a theory about hope—she’s speaking as someone who has lived through profound trauma, severe depression, addiction, multiple suicide attempts, rehabilitation and recovery. Since then, she has dedicated her life to serving others, mentoring people, running community programs, raising a family, and helping those struggling with the same darkness she once faced. Whether you believe in God, doubt everything, or are simply trying to make sense of your own life, this conversation wrestles with questions every person eventually asks: • Why do bad things happen?• Can someone really change?• Is your past bigger than your future?• Where do identity and purpose actually come from?• And what if hope is more real than you think? This isn’t a debate. It’s the story of a young woman who reached the end of herself—and found a reason to live. Video story on Cut Through 👇 🎬 Watch the full interview:https://youtu.be/a13l5-BGKKM

    30. I Was Pronounced Dead At 18
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About

Cut Through is a podcast for people who are tired of noise, outrage, and shallow thinking — and want clarity instead. Hosted by Christian Co, the show features honest, long-form conversations with thinkers, leaders, and everyday people who have lived through failure, doubt, faith, ambition, loss, and rebuilding. Together, they explore the ideas that shape a meaningful life — identity, purpose, power, truth, culture, work, and belief. While especially relevant for young men navigating adulthood in a fragmented culture, these conversations are for anyone who wants to cut through the noise and

Information

  • Creator
    Cut Through
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Cut Through
  • Show Website
    Cut Through

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