We have gone through a couple of quite unbelievable media weeks with the release of the Epstein files, when the association and communication between Jeffrey Epstein, a rich American convicted of child abuse and human trafficking, and famous and powerful people have been spread worldwide by the media. The accused people include, inter alia, top American, British and Norwegian politicians, diplomats and royals named in the files, which are sometimes authentic and sometimes doctored.I believe that there is a need for casting a sober eye on the Epstein files and the way the accused are treated and how we talk and gossip about them. We should reconsider if we haven’t gone too far about it all. Now, at the beginning of the time of fasting among Muslims and Christians, it is a good time to do so. We are meant to calm down at this time, reflect and consider sacred issues, and we should think more about how we behave towards others, especially family, friends and the poor and needy. We should also reflect on the fate of Epstein’s victims, although there is little we can do about it. However, if we hear or know about similar cases of abuse in our own communities, we should raise concern about those and contribute in our small ways. Epstein was found guilty and served a prison term and house arrest from 2008 to 2010, when he was released on a plea bargain, and he was again charged in new cases in 2019 when he died in custody.But my focus in today’s article is on aspects concerning the people who have been named in the Epstein files and whose reputation is being taken from them, whether they will later be charged and found guilty of crimes and wrongdoing or not. We seem to have gone overboard in our fast accusations. In some cases, such as in Norway, it seems that the government’s prosecution offices dealing with corruption and economic crime may also have been too willing to listen to the media reports following the release of the Epstein files. The files may be authentic, but sometimes not, or simply containing wrong or exaggerated information.I believe the media, and we all, have gone too far in dragging people into negative public light in forms similar to old-fashioned shaming and pillory practices, with little possibility for the accused to defend themselves. Being named in the Epstein files for having had association and contact with Epstein is almost alone seen as enough to become a suspect or considered guilty of wrongdoing, not abuse and trafficking, but of having had financial and other advantages from having dealt with the super-rich Epstein. Some may have done something wrong, but that we don’t really know since there have been no court cases, and we should remember that a person is innocent until proven guilty in court, and to restore somebody’s honour once it has been taken away is difficult or impossible. I am more willing to accept being critical towards organisations and institutions that have been mentioned in the Epstein files than individuals. In some cases, there may be unhealthy friendship and power cultures, and it is good that such can be investigated further. But as for individuals, it is essential to be very careful and follow up cases more quietly without the media making breaking news of it all.A few years ago, we saw the many ways that the MeToo campaign affected a number of people, almost only men, who were said to have behaved improperly towards women. Some cases were indeed wrong and even criminal, but not all, and the ways and the extent of publicising and hyping the accusations towards individuals added to making the scandals more aggravated, mainly affecting the alleged perpetrators but sometimes also the whistleblowers and the victims, whose names all became public. Again, the MeToo campaign was in general an important eye-opener regarding wrong gender relations. The MeToo campaign created more awareness and openness about sexual harassment, abuse and serious crimes against women. In some cases, whole professions were scandalised as the cultures that surrounded them were now seen as negative and even outright unacceptable. I believe that the MeToo campaign contributed a lot to improving the situation for women at work, in public life and beyond. But the way it was done was many times not good, and the reputation of many people was ruined even for quite innocent wrong behaviour. Also, in many cases, naughty behaviour was part of cultures that were seen as acceptable, in general or in certain circumstances, although many old ways certainly needed to be improved and replaced by new gender relations for our time. The MeToo campaign contributed to that, and more work continued behind the scenes but also in public, now when the standards had become clearer.In similar ways, it is likely that the current release of the Epstein files will lead to better long-term standards of behaviour, and certainly make child abuse and human trafficking entirely banned, and not accept excuses about not knowing if one has had contact with former criminals such as Epstein, and many have said they did know about his criminal background. As I said above, I find the wrongdoing by organisations and institutions particularly important to rectify, and control systems must be developed regarding allocation of donor funds and the existence of friendship cultures.I said above in this article, appearing at the beginning of Ramadan and Lent, and also at the beginning of the Chinese New Year, that we should now focus more on sacred and positive issues and reduce our attention to the Epstein files. Necessary further investigations should be done, but more discreetly than what currently happens. Our main efforts now during the time of fasting should be on positive issues, including reflection and prayer, and we should maintain and improve good relations with family, friends and the poor and needy in our community or further away.

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