A story:

John takes a lot of pride in his character. His Facebook page is covered with posts about bravery and standing up for what's right. He loves to quote famous generals and leaders. He swears up and down that he is a solid person who is absolutely trustworthy. People believe him and treat him accordingly.

One day, John screws up. It turns out that his entire persona and public face is a lie. He's been accepting bribes, cheating on his wife, or kicking puppies. In any case, John's entire public persona suddenly looks paper thin.

John defends himself with "But it was just an experiment" "That's not who I really am" "Sure, I made a mistake - but if you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best" "It was a one time thing"

All of John's friends decide that he should get off scot-free, and hopefully he's learned something from this experience. It's all part of growing, and everyone makes mistakes.

Does that seem right?