Brigitte Bardot: What does it mean to be free?

Yesterday I heard the news of the death of the famous French actress and activist, Brigitte Bardot (91). She was a cultural icon. The former French president, Charles De Gaul, described has as a French export as important as Renault. What struck me on the news, then reading the Wikipedia article on her, is that she is suppose to be emblematic of Freedom. De Beavoir described her a “locomotive of women’s history”, praising her for being purely genuine and free. But, was she really free?

Did the freedom that BB have make her happy? Isn’t that why we chase freedom, ultimately because we believe it will make us happy? She was married four times, the first three were short, each time moving on when she felt the passion had died. By her reconning there were 17 similar relationships. She tried to commit suicide on a few occasions. When pregnant, as abortion wasn’t yet legal in France, she would punch herself in the stomach. Her son, for years had nothing to do with her and successfully sued her for what she wrote about him in her book. Latterly she was constantly in the courts for racist outbursts. Where did her freedom get her? It left me feeling quite sad. Of course, all deaths are sad, but I felt her life was sad.

When people want freedom the question is: from what? And too what? Better still, at what cost?

Jesus said, “…if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed”. He means freedom from sin and death. But, surely freedom from sin means precisely NOT following our appetites every time.

Jesus also said “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light”. Jesus doesn’t trick us. There is a burden and a cost in following him. But, his burden is light, certainly lighter than all others that we carry, and the cost is worth it.

We fear that in following Christ we miss out by the times we say yes to him and no to ourselves. But, as well as eternal security, there is in fact a greater freedom in this life too, sparing us much anxiety and heartache. As Augustine put it, “in your service is perfect freedom”. I’m often struck by Jesus words in Mark 10:29-30, that even though to gain eternal life any sacrifice would be worth it, he doesn’t short change us in this life. It’s true the Brigitte through off constraints, but in doing so she still failed to find freedom. Only putting on Jesus’ yoke would have done that.