Michael & The Satanist: "The Devil Told Me To Do It" | John Ramirez

Interview Overview

Michael Knowles interviews John Ramirez, who describes growing up in a Bronx family involved in Santería and other occult practices. Ramirez says he became involved as a child, beginning with a necklace he believed had appeared mysteriously. He was later taken to a fortune-teller for a ritual.

Ramirez recounts rising through the ranks, performing spells and ceremonies, and eventually taking part in what he describes as a satanic initiation. He says occult symbols were cut into his body and that he was told he would become a “gatekeeper” of the demonic realm.

Ramirez’s Account of the Occult

Ramirez portrays the occult as a system of false promises—wealth, love, status, or protection—that can leave people frightened and dependent on paid rituals. He describes years of spirit rituals and what he calls astral projection.

One disturbing episode involved a presence he says he felt in his car, urging him to grab a man from a rooftop and sacrifice him. When Knowles asks whether the man was real, Ramirez says he tried to drag him into his apartment, but the man escaped.

Ramirez also warns against treating psychics and occult practitioners as harmless entertainment. In his view, a fortune-teller may impress a client by describing the past and present, then use frightening predictions to sell expensive “cleansings” or rituals. He compares the practice to a protection racket, with the promised future serving as a lure.

Conversion and Family

Ramirez says his turning point came in 1999, when he died in his apartment and experienced a vision of hell. He recalls the devil trying to persuade him to stay, while a cross repeatedly appeared between them. Ramirez says he returned to his body and became a Christian.

He also describes a near-death experience in 2011, recalling a peaceful sensation as he felt himself leaving his body before, in his account, returning to life.

The conversation turns to Ramirez’s former wife, whom he says he had brought into witchcraft. After becoming a Christian, he apologized and eventually encouraged her to follow Christ. He says she agreed, discarded her occult items, and that their relationship improved. He also describes rebuilding his relationship with their daughter.

Knowles asks how viewers should assess such an extraordinary testimony, given that some conversion stories have been fabricated. Ramirez responds that he would ultimately answer to God for whether he was telling the truth.

Conversation and Closing Message

In a lighter stretch, Knowles and Ramirez trade Bronx memories, including a shared appreciation for neighborhood pizza. Knowles jokes that Ramirez’s occult past makes him want to “wash” his FedEx packages. They also joke about Ramirez’s claim that he once played for the Mets and Yankees, with Knowles saying, “It’s a wise choice to switch.” The pair poke fun at the contrast between Ramirez’s former life and his former skepticism toward Christians.

Ramirez urges Christians not to “flirt with” temptation or the occult, while emphasizing that he believes forgiveness and freedom are available through Christ. He closes by discussing his book, Exposing the Devil’s Playbook, and his desire to help Christians recognize what he sees as spiritual traps.

Personalities Featured

• Michael Knowles — Host and interviewer
• John Ramirez — Former occult practitioner and Christian evangelist, sharing his personal testimony