By the age of 17, Jon Clash had left his dysfunctional home and was part of a gang. He became involved with drugs both as a dealer and a user.

It was during this time, he attended a fortune telling party. There he met a woman, who told him things that happened to him growing up. This included things that he had never told anybody.

This was his introduction to Santeria, a religion that originate in Cuba in the 19th century. It combines Roman Catholicis with an African religion called Yoruba, that incorporates the worship of spirits.

People are encouraged to develop relationships with at least one of these spirits called oricha. They can do this by setting up altars and worshipping them. This includes dancing, prayer and providing offerings which typically include liquor, fruit and even sacrificed animals.

Santeria basically incoporiates these practices but replaces the oricha with saints. These saints are often given the attributes of the orichas from the Yoruba religion. Saint Lazarus, who Christ raised form the dead, is associated with Babalú Ayé, the oricha which deals with diseases.

The woman Jon met had multiple personalities and these would change as different Catholic saints apparently possessed her. Being possessed is part of the Yoruba practice also incoroporated by Santeria.

“All of these different times that she changes into a different person or a different personality, that’s her being possessed by one of the Catholic saints,” Jon said in his interview with CBN.

And because these were considered saints, Jon believed her.

The woman said Jon needed to build an alter in his home and make regular sacrifices to the saints. Through this, he would be rewarded with everything he wanted including his desire to become a famous rapper.

Though he followed her advice, Jon’s music career did take off. Nevertheless, he continued making sacrifices and lighting candles at his Santeria alter.

Shortly after starting a home-based business, he became involved with a Christian group that practised the law of attraction. The goup taught that you attract good or bad based on the type of vibes you are giving off. The group pushed that we need to give off positive vibes to attract good results.

While his home based business flourished, he continued to practise Santeria.

As he struggled to keep a positive vibe demanded by the law of attraction, emotionally Jon was falling apart.

“So I’m a spiritual mess. I’m still angry all the time. I’m still like wrestling with depression and being sad and I’m just at the lowest of lows,” Jon said in his interview.

By this time, Jon had returned home and was living with his mother. Down the block was another church.

Jon decided to attend a Sunday morning service and for the first time was taught the Bible. He learned about what it meant to have a true relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jon tore down the Santeria altar. He stopped living the life of attraction, and today shares his faith both on the mission field and online.

“Jesus to me is my everything. He’s all that I need. I have had, as Paul says, ‘I know what it’s like to have plenty. I know what it’s like to lack. And in Jesus I can do all things through Him who strengthens me,’” Jon said.