Reporter: JOHN RAMIREZ
GREW UP IN THE BRONX, WHERE
HIS RELATIVES PRACTICED
SANTALIA.
MY FAMILY WAS WITCHES AND
WARLOCKS.
Reporter: JOHN LONGED
FOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS
DAD, BUT HIS FATHER WAS
ABUSIVE.
THERE WAS NO LOVE.
THERE WAS NO COMPASSION.
WE WATCHED HIM BEAT MY
MOTHER IN THE HOUSE.
HE CAME IN DRUNK MOST OF THE
TIME, DEMANDING STUFF,
ASKING FOR STUFF.
IF THINGS WEREN'T DONE A
CERTAIN WAY, THERE WAS
ALWAYS PUT DOWNS, HURTFUL
WORDS, DUMMY, STUPID, YOU'RE
NOT GOING TO AMOUNT TO
NOTHING -- THAT KIND OF
STUFF.
I WOULD STAND BY THE DOOR
AND LOOK TO SEE WHAT HE WAS
UP TO, BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING
TO SEE IF THERE WAS TIME FOR
ME, JUST TO HAVE
INTERACTION, FOR MY DAD AND
I TO DO SOMETHING.
BUT HE WAS CONNECTED TO THE
DEMONS.
Reporter: JOHN'S MOTHER
WAS ALSO INFLUENCEDED
INFLUENCED BY SANTARIA.
THE LADY SAID, I HAD 30
DAYS TO DO THE CARDS OR I
WOULD BE BLIND.
MY MOTHER WAS A GOOD MOTHER,
AND SO WE DID IT.
THEY STARTED CHANTING AND
CALLING THE FIVE MAIN GODS,
THE DEMONS FROM SANTERIA.
Reporter: FROM THAT
POINT, JOHN'S LIFE CHANGED.
MY WHOLE PERSONALITY WAS
NO LONGER THERE.
I FELT LIKE SOMEONE TOOK A
BLANK BLANKET AND CHANGED MY
SPIRITUALLY.
Reporter: JOHN'S
INVOLVEMENT WITH SANTERIA
HAPPENED QUICKLY.
I WAS BEING TAUGHT.
I STARTED SNEAKING INTO
FUNERALS, BU BECAUSE I
WANTED TO GET THAT SOUL.
WHEN DRUG DEALERS DIED IN
THE STREETS, I WANTED TO RUN
OUT AND GET THE BLOOD
BECAUSE I COULD USE THAT
BLOOD TO DO WITCHCRAFT.
PEOPLE KNEW I WAS A FORCE TO
BE RECKONED WITH.
I LIKED THAT POWER.
I WAS TALKED DOWN TO AS A
YOUNG BOY.
NOW I HAD THE AUTHORITY AND
THE POWER SO I COULD DO
WHATEVER I WANT.
Reporter: WHEN JOHN WAS
13, HIS FATHER WAS MURDERED
IN A BAR FIGHT.
JOHN GAVE CREDIT TO THE
DEVIL FOR RELIEVING HIS
MOTHER'S SUFFERING.
I WOULD BE UP AT 5:00 IN
THE MORNING, CALLING OUT TO
GOD, SAYING HELP MY MOTHER.
AND NO ONE SHOWED UP.
BUT THE DEVIL SHOWED UP
BECAUSE HE KILLED MY DAD.
I BELIEVED THE DEVIL WHEN HE
SAID NO ONE LOVES YOU, BUT I
LOVE YOU.
YOUR FATHER CAN'T PROVIDE
FOR YOU, BUT I CAN PROVIDE
FOR YOU.
THE DEVIL SAID, DO THE
RELIGION.
I WILL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING
YOU WANT, JUST ASK.
Reporter: JOHN SAYS
SATAN BECAME THE FATHER HE
NEVER HAD.
JOHN WAS DEVOTED TO HIM.
I'D LIGHT UP MY CANDLES, AND
I SPIT THE RUM.
AND I SPIT THE CIGAR SMOKE.
IF I DIDN'T HAVE MONEY, I
CUT MYSELF AN AND USED MY
OWN BLOOD AND POURED IT.
THE WHOLE ATMOSPHERE OF THE
ROOM CHANGES.
YOU HAVE TO DRESS THEM AS A
FAMILY MEMBER.
MY FATHER, I'M HERE.
WHAT IS IT YOU WANT TO SPEAK
TO ME ABOUT?
WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?
Reporter: AS TIME WENT
ON, JOHN PRACTICED THE DARK
ART OUTSIDE HIS APARTMENT.
IN CLUBS, I STARTED
LOOKING FOR CHRISTIANS.
I KNEW IF I COULD GET INTO
IT, AND YOU HAD IT IN YOUR
SYSTEM, ALL I HAVE TO DO IS
SAY, LISTEN, I HAVE
SOMETHING TO TELL YOU.
AND YOU WILL OPEN THE DOOR
AND SAY, WHAT IS IT YOU NEED
TO TELL ME, AND YOU GAVE ME
GATEWAY.
Reporter: EVENTUALLY.
HE BECAME A HIGH PRIEST IN A
FORM OF AFRICAN
SPIRITUALISM.
AS HE BECAME MORE POWERFUL,
JOHN TOOK WARFARE MORE
SERIOUSLY.
THE DEVIL TOLD ME
WHATEVER YOU KILL IN THE
SPIRIT ROUND, YOU CAN KILL
IN THE NATURAL.
I WOULD LEAVE MY BODY HOME
AND PROJECT MYSELF IN
DIFFERENT BURROUGHS AND
DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
I WOULD SPEAK CURSES AND
SPEAK THINGS I WANTED TO
HAPPEN IN THE
NEIGHBORHOODS.
SOMETIMES I WOULD GO INTO
NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THERE
WOULD BE A GROUP OF PEOPLE
ON THE CORNER, HOLDING
HANDS, PRAYING UP A STORM.
AND THERE WAS NO
ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WAS
SANCTIFIED, BLESSED THROUGH
PRAYER.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU COULDN'T
TOUCH IT.
BUT IN THE OTHER
NEIGHBORHOODS, IT WAS PARTY
TIME.
Reporter: AROUND THAT
TIME, JOHN MET A GIRL WHO
INTRIGUED HIM.
I THOUGHT, I COULD HANG
OUT WITH HER.
SHE IS GOOD-LOOKING, AND SHE
INVITED ME TO CHURCH.
Reporter: AND SHE ALSO
INVITED HIM TO MEET HER
PARENTS, WHO TALKED TO HIM
ABOUT JESUS.
I SAID, YOUR PARENTS ARE
CRAZY.
LET ME DIGEST THE FOOD AND
THEN THEY TALK ABOUT THIS
JESUS GUY.
I THOUGHT I WOULD GO TO
CHURCH AND KILL ANIMALS ALL
NIGHT LOPPING, AND THEN I
WOULD COME BACK AND SEE HER,
BUT SHE DIDN'T KNOW.
Reporter: JOHN FOUND
THE CHRISTIANS AM MOVING
AMUSING AND HARMLESS.
I KEPT COMING TO CHURCH
TO PLEASE HER, BUT I WASN'T
GOING TO LEAVE THE PEOPLE I
WAS COMMITTED TO.
Reporter: ONE SUNDAY
MORNING THE PASTOR GAVE AN
ALTER CALL.
JOHN CAME FORWARD, AND
WASN'T PREPARED FOR WHAT
HAPPENED NEXT.
AW I THOUGHT I WAS
PROTECTED.
I WAS THROWING PEOPLE
AROUND.
AND THEN 200 SOMETHING
PEOPLE GOT UP AND RAISED
UP.
SPIRITUAL WARFARE.
I SAW THE POWER OF GOD IN
THE CHURCH.
ONE OF THE GUYS WAS
WHISPERING IN MY EAR, SAY
JESUS IS LORD.
JESUS IS LORD.
SAY IT.
I COULDN'T OPEN MY HOUSE.
BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN I COULD
SAY IT, JESUS IS LORD, AND
THE DEVIL LEFT.
Reporter: JOHN WAS
EMBARRASSED BY THE OUTBURST,
BUT WAS NOT SURE WHAT TO DO
NEXT.
ONE OF THE ELDERS APPROACHED
HIM A FEW DAYS LATER.
HE SAID JESUS WANTS YOU
TO HAVE THIS.
HE SAID YOU'RE A WARRIOR FOR
CHRIST.
FOR SOMEONE TO SAY THIS IS A
GIFT FROM CHRIST.
HE LOVES YOU.
TO ME, THAT WAS AMAZING.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT
JESUS LOVED ME.
BUT I WAS COMMITTED TO THE
DARK SIDE.
I WAS COMMITTED TO THE
DEMONS.
I WAS COMMITTED TO THE
DEVIL.
Reporter: ONE NIGHT
JOHN DECIDED TO END THE
STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE TWO
WORLDS THE ONLY WAY HE KNEW
HOW.
I SAID, LORD, JESUS CAN'T
HAVE ME, THE DEVIL CAN'T
HAVE ME.
THE BEST WAY OUT IS
SUICIDE.
IN MY IGNORANCE, IN MY
SHAME.
IN MY MIND, I WAS SO FAR
GONE.
SPIRITUALLY DRAINED.
SPIRITUALLY DRAINED.
Reporter: JOHN DIDN'T
KNOW HOW TO PRAY, BUT HE
BEGAN TO TALK TO GOD.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY
CALL YOU, JESUS -- WHATEVER
THEY CALL IN YOU IN CHURCH,
I DON'T LIKE YOU.
I WANT NO DEALINGS WITH
YOU.
I HATE YOU.
I DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF
YOU.
I NEVER WANT TO BE A
CHRISTIAN.
I DISOWN YOU.
IF THAT IS GOING TO GET YOU
AWAY FROM ME, I WILL WORSHIP
THE DEVIL UNTIL THE DAY I
DIE.
I WHISPERED, IF YOU'RE
BIGGER THAN THE GOD I SERVE,
YOU SHOW ME TONIGHT OR LEAVE
ME ALONE.
Reporter: JOHN WENT TO
SLEEP AND DREAMED HE WAS ON
A SUBWAY.
THE DREAM WAS FILLED WITH
PEOPLE, AND WE WERE GOING
SOMEWHERE THAT I KNOW WAS
NOT GOOD.
AS THE TRAIN WAS GOING
FASTER THAN LIGHT, THERE WAS
A LATER DRESSED VERY
ELEGANT.
AND SHE STARTED TALKING TO
ME IN DEMONIC TONGUE,
TRADER, YOU'RE LEAVING US.
I TRIED TO GET IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE TRAIN, IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE PEOPLE, SO SHE WON'T
REACH ME.
A POP HIT, AND THE DOORS
OPENED, AND I ENDED UP IN
HELL.
Reporter: JOHN STEPPED
OUT OF THE SUBWAY IN INTO
THE DARKNESS.
AS I WENT THROUGH THE
TUNNEL TO HELLLY HELL, THE
HEAT IS NOTHING THAT YOU
FEEL ON EARTH.
THERE IS NO HOPE.
HOPE IS REMOVED.
THE DEVIL CAME OUT BIGGER
AND STRONGER.
HE SAYS TO ME --
I'VE BEEN WITH YOU SINCE
YOU WERE NINE YEARS OLD.
I'VE BEEN A FATHER TO YOU.
I'VE GIVEN YOU EVERYTHING.
HE SAID, I'M GOING TO
KEEP YOU HERE.
IF I CAN KEEP YOU HERE, YOU
WON'T WAKE UP, UPSTAIRS,
WHICH IS ON EARTH.
AND HE SAID --
YOU BELONG TO ME.
AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO
LEAVE.
YOU KNOW TOO MANY SECRETS
ABOUT MY RELIGION.
WHEN HE WENT TO GRAB ME
TO SNUFF ME, A CROSS WILL
APPEAR IN MY HANDS.
I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW A
CROSS WOULD APPEAR IN MY
HANDS.
I PUT IT ON THE DEVELOP, AND
HE FELT LIKE HE WAS
NOTHING.
HE FELT LIKE HE WAS A BABY.
NO POWERS AT THE FOOT OF THE
CROSS.
Reporter: WHEN JOHN
WOKE UP, HE WAS A CHANGED
MAN.
AND I KNEW THAT JESUS THE
LORD.
I BENT MY KNEE TO THE
CROSS.
AND JESUS CAME INTO MY
LIFE.
I TOOK A WHITE PIECE OF
PAPER, AND I WROTE DOWN I
WAS A SERVANT, A SLAVE OF
JESUS CHRIST.
I WILL SERVE YOU ALL OF THE
DAYS OF MY LIFE.
Reporter: JOHN THREW
OUT ALL OF THE DEVELOP
PARAPHERNALIA, BUT THE
BATTLE WASN'T OVER.
AT NIGHT, I WOULD FEEL
THE PRESENCE COME INTO THE
ROOM.
SOMETIMES I WOULD SEE WHAT
WAS THERE, AND SOMETIMES I
WOULD SEE UP THIS WAY AND
YOU WOULD SEE SOMEONE'S HAND
GRAB ME BY MY THROAT AND
PICK ME UP OFF THE BED.
SOMETIMES THEY GRAB MY FEET
AND THE BED WOULD SHAKE, AND
THEY WOULD BRING ME UP AND
LEVITATE THE BED, AND
SOMETIMES I MIGHT EVEN REACH
THE CEILING.
AND I COULDN'T BREATHE.
I COULDN'T CRY OUT.
I COULDN'T TALK.
I FELT LIKE THEY WERE
CHOKING THE LIFE OUT OF ME.
I WOULD TRY TO CRY OUT FOR
JESUS, AND THE WORDS
WOULDN'T COME OUT.
AND THEN AT THE END, JESUS,
HELP ME, JESUS, HELP ME,
SAVE ME, AND THE DEVIL WOULD
GO AWAY.
I ASKED THE LORD, WHY WOULD
YOU ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN TO
ME, WHY WOULD YOU ALLOW
THESE PEOPLE TO ABUSE ME
THIS WE.
I GAVE MY LIFE TO YOU.
AND HE SAID TO ME, I WANTED
TO KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE ME
AND HOW MUCH YOU TRUST ME.
AND NO DEVIL EVER SHOWED UP
TO MY HOUSE EVER AGAIN.
Reporter: JOHN SAYS HE
WOULDN'T TRADE ANYTHING FOR
WHAT HE FOUND IN CHRIST.
FOR 25 YEARS IN MY LIFE,
I COULD DO ANYTHING TO
ANYBODY.
I COUNT THAT AS BEING
FOOLISH.
CHRIST, HE IS MY ALL IN
ALL.
HE IS THE GOD I BELIEVE.
HE WALKS WITH ME.
I HEAR HIS WORDS IN MY EAR.
Reporter: TODAY JOHN
SHARES THE GOSPEL WITH
EVERYONE HE CAN.
HE HAS WRITTEN A BOOK ABOUT
HIS EXPERIENCES CALLED, "OUT
OF THE DEVIL'S CALDERON."
I'VE GOT PEACE.
I HAVE FULFILLMENT, I HAVE A
PURPOSE, AND I HAVE A
DESTINY TODAY.
AND ALL BECAUSE I SAID YES
TO THE CROSS.
AND I AM AN EVANGELIST IN
THE KINGDOM OF LIFE.
NO MORE AN EVANGELIST FOR
THE DARK SIDE.
I EXPOSE THE DARK SIDE EVERY
TIME THE LORD GIVES ME A
CHANCE.
BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO
DIE OR SHED BLOOD.
JESUS SHED THE BLOOD FOR
YOU.
THAT'S THE BLOOD THAT
COUNTS, THE ONE AT THE
CROSS.
