Stevie Nicks vs Pope Leo on Freedom
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Rocker Stevie Nicks revealed her confusion to think that sex, drugs and rock and roll were greater than her baby. She ended her child’s life in 1979 while dating Don Henley of The Eagles.
“There’s just no way that I could have had a child then, working as hard as we worked constantly. And there were a lot of drugs, I was doing a lot of drugs — I would have had to walk away.”
“And I knew that the music we were going to bring to the world was going to heal so many people’s hearts and make people so happy,” she told The Guardian. “And I thought: you know what? That’s really important. There’s not another band in the world that has two lead women singers, two lead women writers. That was my world’s mission.”
So much confusion to think her mission in life required ending the life of her own flesh and blood. Nicks is 72 now. No children. She’s alone with just a dog. The Guardian article ended with her parting words: “I am a totally free woman, and I am independent, and that’s exactly what I always wanted.” That is not freedom.
Pope Leo Defined Freedom
Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903) who is considered the father of Catholic social teaching, warned that if we banish God from society, then we annihilate our moral sense and take away the truth of God our Creator. In such a case, Pope Leo said that society rejects laws and ultimately denigrates into vices. But today, we no longer call them vices, and instead proclaim to seek such things.
Taking God out confuses the definition of freedom. Pope Leo made this argument in his encyclical Libertas praestantissimum (On the Nature of Human Liberty): “If freedom meant the capacity to choose anything at all, including evil, then God and the blessed angels would not be free.” So sin, Pope Leo contended, is mere slavery and human liberty is based on God’s eternal law. Freedom, he explained is the ability to do good. So many have confused freedom with sin.
Mercy and Healing
Many post-abortive men and women regret their choices. Pro-lifers embrace them and are sorry with them. The pro-abortion industry tries to tell them they are just confused. In reality, their confusion has lifted and they see clearly now.
But there is forgiveness through God’s mercy. One program, Project Rachel offers retreats for men and women to help them heal. There are also many books on healing after abortion.
For those who are pro-life, we should pray daily, not just for the unborn, but for the wounded and the confused. Our aggressively pro-death culture works hard at confusing people. Let us work just as hard praying for them.
