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It is not always helpful to those on the their own journey of inner reform to hear those who have serially engaged in enormities being given a free pass for all they did in the past.

Yes, of course, the door to repentance is open to all. That gateway to reform is for everyone. Indeed, it is the promise of God, that those who repent, believe and commit to doing righteous work from hereon will have their evil deeds replaced with good.

But that is between them, their Lord and whomever they may have wronged in the past. Those who set things right, we hope, will find God relenting, forgiving and merciful. It is quite right that we keep that hopeful door open to all who seeks a way to live a better life.

As for others, though, this generosity of spirit is more a hindrance than a help. The one striving hard to overcome whatever it is that burdens them is now tempted to be more lenient on themselves. “Well I’ve never done anything like that,” they may now say to themself, and then throw caution to the wind.

Certainly that was my reaction to unfolding events, now and in the recent past, as our community fawned over the minor celebrities stumbling into our field of view, regardless of their conduct to date. Witnessing that, I said to myself, “Why take this business of inner reform so seriously? You’re not that bad!”

But of course how other choose to behave has no bearing on our own ethical and moral choices. We are accountable for our own actions and they for theirs. In an age of extremes, it is easy to tell yourself that you’re doing fine, even as you head off on another diversion away from rectifying your relationship with your Creator.

Perhaps it would be better to set higher standards for ourselves. And to choose our words carefully when addressing the sins of another. Give us hope that our Lord may have mercy on our souls for all we have done in our lives, but petition us too to strive against all that calls us back to heedlessness.

Don’t minimise the impact of enormities, on ourselves or others. Remind us that we are called to be the best possible version of ourselves we can be. Remind us of the importance of staying the course: that just as they must strive to reform themselves, so must we. The moral choices are as much ours as theirs.