Carlos Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered a fusion of rock and Latin American music. He experienced a resurgence of popularity and critical acclaim in the late 1990s. In 2003 Rolling Stone magazine listed Santana at number 20 on their list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. He has won 10 Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards.
An article in The Plain Truth chronicles the metamorphosis of Santana including following the teachings of the Indian guru and charlatan Sri Chinmoy.
Finally realizing the oppression they'd entered into, Carlos and Deborah stopped following Chinmoy.
Carlos gave in to the constant temptation of the road during touring, however, and his marriage did not survive infidelity. He sank into despair and, as he shared in a Rolling Stone interview, he admitted to "seven times when suicide came knocking."
He described going to light a candle (at church) and hearing the accusing voices inside tearing him down, but in the end hearing the voice of the Lord Jesus break through the others reminding him that He was with him, and it brought him renewed "joy."
Durek writes that it was through God's grace that Santana was able to finally forgive his molester and find freedom.
"My God is a God of kindness and compassion, but we as people have free will, including the man who molested me," Carlos said in the Rolling Stone interview. "I was able to remove the anger by forgiving that man…. Forgiveness, man, forgiveness is extremely liberating. And I'm here to tell you, with all my heart and spirit, that it can be done. You can be freed."
According to Durek, Santana is considering retiring from a music profession in the future to become a minister, as he desires to see others set free.
Says Santana, "Duke Ellington, before he died, had the Bible on one hand and sheet music on another, and he was doing sacred concerts. I'm just following the script that is given to me, and after a while you can only do what you do. Then, God calls you to do something else…."
"Forgiveness, man, forgiveness is extremely liberating. And I'm here to
tell you, with all my heart and spirit, that it can be done. You can be
freed." –Carlos Santana
Read the full article.
