In our latest episode of our podcast , "The Desire to Connect," we talk to Lis Muñoz, a woman who grew up in a very conservative and restrictive Christian family, and how, growing up, she ended up being everything sin was supposed to be.
"My parents converted to Christianity and my father ended up being the pastor of the church."
This is how Lis's story begins, in which she tells us that until she was 10, her family was "normal," like any other. Then, her parents met a Christian church and based their entire life and habits on what their church taught them. Her father became so involved that he ended up becoming the pastor of that church. For Lis, it was a normal process until the church's endless prohibitions began to limit her and distance her from the things that made her happy.
Dancing was a sin
Listening to music that was not Christian was a sin.
Kissing her boyfriend was a sin
Having a boyfriend was a sin
Having sex without getting married was a sin
Lis began to feel so inhibited and so unfree that one day she said to her parents:
"I renounce being a Christian"
When Lis entered adolescence, she started dating, and for her parents, that was a complete sin. She started riding a skateboard in Medellín, where she was born, and that was also a sin. She started wearing baggy clothes, and even though it wasn't a sin, it was still frowned upon by her parents, because she should dress "more feminine."
At a very young age, Lis left home after feeling that, even though she had renounced being a Christian, the restrictions remained enormous. Because no matter how much your parents love you, if they love God and their church more, they can end up interfering with that love for their children. Especially if they are "sinful" children.
A fight for acceptance...
Lis began using marijuana at a very young age, and for her parents, it was like feeling like their daughter was already the devil's own daughter.
So Lis decided to become completely independent from her parents and moved in with her boyfriend and girlfriend. And yes, of course, that was also a sin.
After struggling a lot with her parents' rejection to live in line with her desires and happiness...
Lis's parents eventually accepted that, even though they didn't agree with her, they respected and loved her.
This followed a profound process of self-acceptance on Lis's part regarding her sexuality, her relational diversity, and ultimately her identity.
Therefore, when your identity differs from what you were told you should be, fight to live your truth and for your happiness. No one can recover the lost time of a life lived for others.
