ouija boards...

[JEmaryland]

It's a piece of particle board and a plastic "pointer"! I think if my mom flipped out at me for something like this, I'd laugh at her and count the days until I turned 18.

 

[MosMom]

Parker Brothers board game company has this guy..

cursing every board game as it rolls off the assembly line.

 

[wdwfan16]

Parker Brothers board game company has this guy..

cursing every board game as it rolls off the assembly line.

He missed cursing the one I played with. I was cheated!!!!!

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

I remember my great grandmother had one of the original boards made of solid wood. She used it as a cutting board. Must have sent the spirits into her meals, because she could cook!!

 

[phorsenuf]

I've never used one, and I know alot of people don't believe in them to the aspect of which they were intended...but I'm upset with my kids

Due to stories I've heard, and just my personal beliefs on them, I've forbid them to the girls. I know I can't control them at a slumber party or something, but they know I disapprove, and will never have one in my home. My youngest told me she played one 'online' at her dads house... This makes me upset and angry, although more upset.....

Your opinions on how to get my point across to my kids?

What's an online Ouija board?

 

[browneyes106]

^My friends used to play with an online Ouija board back in high school. If you google it you could find it. You use your mouse as the planchette. I don't think Ouija boards are bad if it use to communicate with good spirits. To attract good spirits you put a piece of silver on the boards.

 

[Scurvy]

It's a piece of particle board and a plastic "pointer"! I think if my mom flipped out at me for something like this, I'd laugh at her and count the days until I turned 18.

Okay, seriously I am shocked by this thread. I know people don't always get along on the Dis and I certainly have not always agreed with everyone on here, including the OP. It's one thing to disagree with someone, but since when did it become acceptable to ridicule another poster's religious beliefs? It would not matter if the OP was saying that she thought Monopoly was evil - she is entitled to her beliefs and she is entitled to raise her children within those beliefs if she chooses to. In this case, it isn't like the OP came up with this on her own. It is an established part of some religions and just because other posters don't believe in the same thing doesn't mean that she's ridiculous for believing it. No matter how trivial this may seem to some posters, it's important to the OP and it seems incredibly mean spirited to me that everyone is ridiculing her for trying to encourage her children to follow this part of her religion.

 

[Disney Doll]

OP, I would explain to the children why I didn't like the Ouija board...either version...online or in real life. I would explain the aspects of our religion which pertain to Ouija boards and their use.

But, as PPs have said, if they are not with you, you really have no control over what they do, so you just have to hope for the best.

Interesting "aside" about Oiuja boards...I saw a presentation by Ed & Lorriane Warren yaers ago...they are "supernaturalists, "ghost hunters"...of the Amityville Horror fame. They actually live in the next town over, so they are kind of "big" around here, especially near Halloween. Anyhow, they said that Ouija Boards can be a "doorway" into the spirit world, the problem is, you don't what kind of spirits will come through the door, so why open it?

It is wise advice that I have always followed.

 

[sbell111]

^My friends used to play with an online Ouija board back in high school. If you google it you could find it. You use your mouse as the planchette. I don't think Ouija boards are bad if it use to communicate with good spirits. To attract good spirits you put a piece of silver on the boards.

OMG!!! I asked one of the online ones whether or not I will enjoy my lunch and it told me "TOO DARK". Clearly, it's telling me that my lunch will be burned. The strange this is that I packed leftover spaghetti and meatballs today. I can't imagine that getting burned in the microwave. I then asked it 'What's for dinner?' It couldn't tell. Maybe, I'll get a pizza.

I wasn't impressed with this ouija's performance, so I moved on to a different site and asked the same questions. Apparently, I will not enjoy my lunch and it 'cannot say' what's for dinner. It wouldn't want to spoil the secret, dontcha know?

To the OP:

This is a battle that I wouldn't fight. By now, your child has no doubt realized that the game is dumb and has no real power.

BTW, what is your take on Magic 8 balls? We probably have four or five of those guys rolling around. I'm pretty sure that we also have a dusty old ouija board on the big shelf o' games, but I'm not sure. I have never before been motivated to find out or to ever play with one of the dumb things. Now that I know that it cannot even tell me what my dinner is, I'm glad that I haven't bothered previously.

 

[MushyMushy]

OP, I would explain to the children why I didn't like the Ouija board...either version...online or in real life. I would explain the aspects of our religion which pertain to Ouija boards and their use.

But, as PPs have said, if they are not with you, you really have no control over what they do, so you just have to hope for the best.

Interestiong "aside" about Oiuja boards...I saw a presnetation by Ed & Lorriane warren yaers ago...they are "supernaturalists, "ghost hunters"...of the Amityville Horror fame. They actually live in the next town over, so they are kind of "big" around here, especially near Halloween. Anyhow, they said that Ouija Boards can be a "doorway" into the spirit world, the problem is, you don't what kind of spirits willc ome through the door, so why open it?

It is wise advice that I have always followed.

A friend of mine is friends with Lorraine and I spoke with her over the phone once. I don't believe in any of that stuff, but she sure is an interesting person, as is my friend. Kooky, but interesting!

Agreed. For cripes sakes, it is a BOARD game, no different than Monopoly..

ETA: When there are threads like this out there: http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2252558

this thread is almost obscene. JMO and I'm leaving this one at that.

While I agree with your reaction that it's just a board game, it's really offensive that you would bring that poor woman's tragedy up in this thread. The rest of us are still allowed to worry about our children, whether it's a game we don't want them playing or anything more serious.

 

[sbell111]

It's a piece of particle board and a plastic "pointer"! I think if my mom flipped out at me for something like this, I'd laugh at her and count the days until I turned 18.

Okay, seriously I am shocked by this thread. I know people don't always get along on the Dis and I certainly have not always agreed with everyone on here, including the OP. It's one thing to disagree with someone, but since when did it become acceptable to ridicule another poster's religious beliefs? It would not matter if the OP was saying that she thought Monopoly was evil - she is entitled to her beliefs and she is entitled to raise her children within those beliefs if she chooses to. In this case, it isn't like the OP came up with this on her own. It is an established part of some religions and just because other posters don't believe in the same thing doesn't mean that she's ridiculous for believing it. No matter how trivial this may seem to some posters, it's important to the OP and it seems incredibly mean spirited to me that everyone is ridiculing her for trying to encourage her children to follow this part of her religion.

Interesting take on JEmaryland's post. I actually think that the OP might find an opinion of what one person would do if her mother pushed this issue to be helpful.

 

[okeydokey]

Well since they don't actually conjure evil spirits, I wouldn't worry about them. You have every right to control what games your child plays at your house but not so much control at ex husband's anybody else's, so I don't think there is anything you can do about it.

 

[GoodFairies]

Watch "The Exorcist" with them.

Yes, because this movie is more appropriate for 8 year olds than a board game is...

OP sorry but I think you are making a big deal out of nothing.

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

OP sorry but I think you are making a big deal out of nothing.

Actually, the OP has returned to update with the knowledge that her child(ren) has/have played with a ouija board, and she has made a concious decision not to freak out or go overboard about it. I applaud her willingness to still hold to her beliefs, while not making a mountain out of that potential mole hill.


OP- I just wanted to reiterate, don't worry, it's a novelty that will pass

 

[LukenDC]

While I respect the religious sensitivities surrounding ouija boards, I believe that making a big deal out of them gives them a legitimacy that they do not deserve. They are mass produced toys and their significance cannot be any more evil than the intentions of the mortal individuals using them.

 

[Scurvy]

Interesting take on JEmaryland's post. I actually think that the OP might find an opinion of what one person would do if her mother pushed this issue to be helpful.

You're probably right. I guess I just found the It's a piece of particle board and a plastic "pointer"! part to be very dismissive of the OP's beliefs, but probably it wasn't meant that way. To me, many of the posts seem to be making fun of the fact that the OP believes the boards are bad since most people don't see them that way. It bothers me when I think someone is making fun of another person's religion. . .but hopefully no one on this thread is doing that. I'm probably just "hearing" the comments that way because I have friends on both sides of this debate and I've heard lots of arguing about it over the years, and it can get remarkably ugly. Somehow many people think it's fine to belittle someone for believing the boards are evil - because after all, it's "just a toy". Those same people would never say "It's just meat" to convince a Jew that pork is okay, or "It's just a drink" to convince a Muslim to consume alcohol. To the OP it isn't just a piece of particle board, it's a violation of her beliefs. I think the fact that it's a toy makes some people forget that it's a serious subject to many people.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

Okay, seriously I am shocked by this thread. It is an established part of some religions and just because other posters don't believe in the same thing doesn't mean that she's ridiculous for believing it. No matter how trivial this may seem to some posters, it's important to the OP and it seems incredibly mean spirited to me that everyone is ridiculing her for trying to encourage her children to follow this part of her religion.

Can you share with me which religion this game is a part of? I must have missed that in school.

Your comparison to alcohol and Muslims or Jews and pork is silly - those restrictions are tenets of their religions.

please tell me whose holy book mandates the use of these boards?

Yes, I think the OP is silly - I spend time instilling values such as do not make babies unless married, help the needy, work to be a responsible adult etc.

 

[Scurvy]

Can you share with me which religion this game is a part of? I must have missed that in school.

Your comparison to alcohol and Muslims or Jews and pork is silly - those restrictions are tenets of their religions.

please tell me whose holy book mandates the use of these boards?

Yes, I think the OP is silly - I spend time instilling values such as do not make babies unless married, help the needy, work to be a responsible adult etc.

No, I am not saying that any religion encourages use of the boards. I am saying that some religions forbid use of the boards. It is part of some religions that the boards are not toys, but instead are a means of communicating with demons and other evil things. I grew up with people who were forbidden to use them because of the teachings of their churches. I was trying to say that for them, not using a ouija board is the same as a Jew not eating pork.

I am not debating whether they are right or not - I don't presume to know that. I am just saying that their belief that the things are evil is valid for them just as the belief that pork is forbidden is valid for a Jew. I am not trying to debate the religious merits of any of this, I just thought that perhaps some posters weren't aware that it isn't just a silly superstition to the OP - it is something that is taught by some religions, apparently including hers.

 

[GottaGetToDisney!]

they said that Ouija Boards can be a "doorway" into the spirit world, the problem is, you don't what kind of spirits will come through the door, so why open it?

Yes, exactly. It's not the board itself that is evil, but what can be invited in through the use of the board.

We had a ouija board when I was a kid and my sisters and I used to play around with it, ask stupid questions, and giggle because we knew we were pushing the planchette. It was just innocent fun.

Then, my parents and my aunt & uncle started seriously using it to communicate with spirits and things quickly started spiraling out of control. Every night they "played", for months and months. They eventually got tired of hunching over the board and instead put down those Fisher Price magnetic letters and used an over-turned wine glass for the planchette. I remember standing by the table, watching that wine glass fly across the table - by itself - and knock every single letter to the ground. My parents finally decided enough was enough and we had to have our house exorcised.

I know some people won't, and don't, believe my ouija board stories and that's okay. I know what I saw and I know what I believe. I DO warn my own children against the use of the ouija board, but I have explained that a piece of wood is not what they should be afraid of, but what can happen if somebody knows how to use that board to open doors. Scary stuff.

Gotta Get To Disney!

 

[wdwiala]

I realize that a high percentage of kids using this game are just screwing around.

That said, people calling upon spirits are a very real thing. I have a friend who grew up in a Spiritualist family complete with seances and things flying around the room.

I think that it is a good thing to give my kids a healthy warning about what spirits you are inviting in. God, in the bible, warned Saul not to do it. He did anyway and it didn't go well for him. That and my friends stories are enough of a warning for me. I have asked my kids to stay away from them.