“… for they know not what they do.”

5 min readMar 12, 2019

This morning, the Metro quoted Jeremy Hunt, saying that a 15-year-old knew what she was doing, when she ran away from home. I am not sure exactly what Jeremy Hunt said, or the context, but I find the suggestion that a 15-year-old knew what they were doing ludicrous. It made me recall Jesus’ words, as quoted in Luke 23.34, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they do.”

I have seen a number of jokes/memes, about teenagers, supposedly, knowing everything, but the law still defines someone under 18, as a child. To reinforce that I went on, to update, my Safeguarding Children’s Training.

My work involves regularly undergoing this training but it never fails to make an impact. As a society, we need to work towards protecting the vulnerable amongst us and that includes our children.

There is much in the discussion/dialogue about Shamima Begum that I find difficult, but the fact that, as a society, we seem happier to condemn her rather than take responsibility for failing to protect her, when she was a child, is incomprehensible. It is not easy listening to the 24-hour news cycle but, in this case, we need to remember that Shamima was only 15 when she was targeted by ISIS. Lynne Wallis writes in the Guardian that Shamima Begum was the victim of a cult — she needs help:

“Like other cults, Isis targets young people, it indoctrinates and desensitises them. It’s a process, not a lifestyle choice…

Begum was just 15 when she had her head turned by Isis. Intellectually curious, alert, idealistic young people generally make easy targets, and they are the ones that stop in the street when Scientology recruiters invite them to take a “personality test”. They are the ones who ask probing questions, who are open to debate, and this makes them vulnerable as the recruiters have their ear. Their trained manipulators have been doing it a long time, using tried and tested techniques. They have an answer for everything. Who knows what resistance if any Begum may have shown? One thing is sure — she was ripe for the picking…

Four years after Begum was indoctrinated into Islamic State, the teenager showed all the signs during her recent interviews of having been under cultic influence. Her head was tilted down, she used monotone speech conveying no emotion and her manner was detached and cold. When she did eventually look directly at the interviewer, it was clear that the windows to Begum’s soul were long closed. The most damaging thing she said that secured her banishment from her homeland was that she “wasn’t bothered” by the sight of severed heads in bins in Syria. She spoke as if what she was saying was totally normal, as if expecting sympathy…

As long as we continue to believe as a society that young women such as Begum have made a decision to run away to Syria to help terrorists, we will remain no closer to understanding this behaviour or to preventing it…

Elsewhere in Europe the use of undue influence or “mind control” is illegal, but in the UK we don’t recognise it as a crime. The process of indoctrination can, however, be reversed. It is commonly referred to as “exit counselling”, and when it happens — it’s often hard to get a cult member alone for long enough — it is often successful. If Begum had been allowed to come home, she could have been helped to recover her critical mind. She could have been useful to the government by providing intelligence about her former terrorist associates.”

“Start the week”, on Radio 4, made an interesting point about people in Whitehall ensuring they maintain their heart and morality. Jeremy Hunt, Sajid Javid, Theresa May and the Queen are all a part of a Government that has a moral responsibility. The electorate also has a moral responsibility.

I like the idea of a “Moral Pilates” that was referred to in “Start the Week.” It would be great if as a society/world community we could exercise our compassion and recall Jesus’ words: “Father forgive them for they do not know what they do.” It may be particularly poignant to do so now, because it is Lent.

“The purpose of Lent is to be a season of fasting, self-denial, Christian growth, penitence, conversion, and simplicity. Lent, which comes from the Teutonic (Germanic) word for springtime, can be viewed as a spiritual spring cleaning: a time for taking spiritual inventory and then cleaning out those things which hinder our corporate and personal relationships with Jesus Christ and our service to him.” I am not a Christian, but feel strongly that every opportunity for pause, refection and a reminder of our values will help us, our communities and our world.

This Lent, I am taking a “spiritual inventory,” recalling the words of some amazing teachers and doing some “moral Pilates”. Jesus, no matter how you connect with him, is someone who can be a guide. The Lord’s prayer is amazing and contains some magical words including “forgive us as we forgive those who trespass against us.” There is also “Suffer little children to come unto me” which is particularly poignant when reflecting on all those baby refugees and the teenagers who have lost their lives. According to the King Jame’s Bible “Whosoever, therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.”

It is interesting to note, that to enter the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, is by reducing your height to that of a child. I would like to imagine and reflect on the possibility of a world where all children were safe and when they become vulnerable, protected.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our father who art in Heaven,

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy Kingdom come,

They will be done,

On earth as in Heaven,

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us,

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the Kingdom, the power and the glory,