# Ouija Boards - I used to think it was bull until...... **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 19, 2009, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528 "2009-02-19T09:46:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/141 "2009-02-19T20:28:59Z")
Okay, I just wanted that to soak in a bit, I’m just phukin’ with the Quija woo woo folk. razncain 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/142 "2009-02-19T20:38:33Z")
If spirits don’t know the lottery numbers because they are not known until they are drawn, doesn’t that mean they shouldn’t be able to predict other future events, either? Why would spirits be able to know when someone is going to die or where they will be living ten years from now or whatever else people ask Ouija boards about the future, but not what tomorrow’s lottery numbers are going to be? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/143 "2009-02-19T20:39:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Ouija boards are toys _made and patented by a toy company._ Isn’t that kind of the end of the story? Not really, it just means that people don’t need to make their own. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/144 "2009-02-19T20:50:07Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > If spirits don’t know the lottery numbers because they are not known until they are drawn, doesn’t that mean they shouldn’t be able to predict other future events, either? Why would spirits be able to know when someone is going to die or where they will be living ten years from now or whatever else people ask Ouija boards about the future, but not what tomorrow’s lottery numbers are going to be? No one can foretell the future with exact certainty. Mostly psychics don’t do that. There is a lot of misinformation out about the spiritual side of life. Not even God knows. We humans have free will and we change our minds many times a moment during the day. It is true that sometimes a seer can look into the future and see some event coming in your life. But that could change in an instant, you may move, leave town. Any change in the chain of future up to that point and the event is changed or miss entirely. Just spend some time with the really good psychics and you will see they say very little about the future. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/145 "2009-02-19T20:53:25Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Not really, it just means that people don’t need to make their own. I know it’s not factual proof, but I thought I’d throw that element out there. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/146 "2009-02-19T20:53:59Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > But if spirits can invisibly move a Ouija planchette, why can’t they move those balls in the lottery drawing using a similar technique? If the spirit tells you that it will make certain numbers come up on a certain day, and then does it, that’s just as good as predicting the lottery numbers. Spirits don’t move the planchette, it is moved by the person holding it involuntarily. Only highly advanced spirits can do anything to change the physical, and they usually don’t play on the board. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/147 "2009-02-19T20:56:37Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > 867530 That just the ghost of Tommy Tutone’s career fucking with you. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/148 "2009-02-19T20:56:45Z")
> [@Garula](#): > > Does it work the other way around? Can I snap my fingers to make him appear? That would certainly spice up my next party. Satan is a mental construct, I suppose you could if you really tried hard. ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/149 "2009-02-19T20:58:37Z")
> [@Beadalin](#): > > OK, everybody can relax now. I just snapped my fingers on behalf of the world. Thank you, but it only works for you. Each individual has to fight their own demons and devils. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/150 "2009-02-19T21:02:32Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > No one can foretell the future with exact certainty. Mostly psychics don’t do that. There is a lot of misinformation out about the spiritual side of life. Not even God knows. We humans have free will and we change our minds many times a moment during the day. It is true that sometimes a seer can look into the future and see some event coming in your life. But that could change in an instant, you may move, leave town. Any change in the chain of future up to that point and the event is changed or miss entirely. > > Just spend some time with the really good psychics and you will see they say very little about the future. OK, look; can they come up with any information which has a commercial value? “Madoff is running a Ponzi; get out now.” “There is an abandoned wreck with 6 tons of Spanish gold at the following co-ordinates.” “John Edwards is having an affair with Rielle Hunter. Call the Enquirer now.” ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/151 "2009-02-19T21:02:44Z")
> [@razncain](#): > > Does it work for long distance too? I wrote down a 6 digit number. I await your reply. > > You don’t know your friends as well as you think. > [@kidchameleon](#): > > 867530 > [@razncain](#): > > Damn, I just seen this! Did you determine this through a Ouija board? Not bloodly likely! > > Okay, I’ll give you that one, but like Diogenes said, one could possibly do this with some kind of spyware and viewing device that you could possibly view through my own my camera which I have attached to my computer. > > Just to be safe this time, I’ve disconnected the camera to my computer, and will leave the room, just to play it doubly safe, and write another another six digit number. > > Let’s see if you get it right this time. > > razncain Nah, he just got the number from the wall… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Razncain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@Razncain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Razncain)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/152 "2009-02-19T21:04:19Z")
> [@lekatt](#): > > Spirits don’t move the planchette, it is moved by the person holding it involuntarily. Only highly advanced spirits can do anything to change the physical, and they usually don’t play on the board. **lekatt,** what have you learned from the spirits on your numerous Quija boards? And do you still use them somewhat regularly, and let others observe? razncain ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/153 "2009-02-19T21:10:21Z")
> [@Beadalin](#): > > OK, everybody can relax now. I just snapped my fingers on behalf of the world. Dammit! Why didn’t you tell me you were going to do that? I snapped mine, too, so I think I brought him back. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/154 "2009-02-19T21:13:59Z")
> [@Chief\_Pedant](#): > > OK, look; can they come up with any information which has a commercial value? > > “Madoff is running a Ponzi; get out now.” > > “There is an abandoned wreck with 6 tons of Spanish gold at the following co-ordinates.” > > “John Edwards is having an affair with Rielle Hunter. Call the Enquirer now.” My favorite question for boards or humans that claim to have that power is : “where should we point the current or future telescopes to find a planet that shows evidence that it can support life as we know it?” I would imagine that missing a whole planet would be embarrassing. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/155 "2009-02-19T21:25:49Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > That just the ghost of Tommy Tutone’s career fucking with you. Tommy Tutone? Career ?!? ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/156 "2009-02-19T21:27:09Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > Why aren’t you using the Ouija board to get tomorrow’s lottery numbers? Why aren’t the papers full of stories about people getting winning lottery numbers via Ouija board? It’s no good for that - it’s only able to tell what someone’s [del]stooge[/del] friend has drawn in the next room. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/157 "2009-02-19T21:32:30Z")
What should happen when this type of idiocy is posted. 1st post: Silly Question 2nd post: [How does a Ouija board work? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1798/how-does-a-ouija-board-work) Aaaaaand… lock it. I’m willing to bet that most of our Dopers read most if not all of Cecil’s columns over the years, paper or book format. Our OPer has not. The answer is above, Ouija lovers. Next we’ll debate if water really is H2O. “Excuse me while I grind my teeth.” ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/158 "2009-02-19T21:32:56Z")
> [@omgzebras](#): > > Personally, I would pick A or B because to think that the afterlife consists of waiting around and hoping to answer inane questions or scare preteen girls via the medium of Hasbro is depressing. If it’s some demonic force I can only imagine what kind of shit duty that must be. The other guys are all off sowing seeds of famine and pestilence while you’re stuck chatting with a bunch of suburbanites through a mass produced piece of cardboard covered in chip crumbs. It’s just silly. “Wanna come to the Satan worshiping orgy tonight?” “Can’t, I’m on Hasbro duty. There’s a slumber party going down and I gotta log in at least two hours.” “Awww, again?” “Beats the hell out of sowing famine–that shit’s was giving me an ulcer.” > [@pbbth](#): > > You can buy Ouija boards at Toys R Us. Do you _really_ think that tools used to contact the deceased could be mass produced by the same people who make Scrabble and purchased for $12.99 in the game section of any store? If it really were that easy to contact the dead we would be able to talk to them all the time whether or not we had a cheap piece of plastic and some particle board. Yeah, how come ghosts don’t randomly rearrange the words in the books we read or the grocery lists we make or the stuff we type on the computer? Oh, wait, yeah, they do. It’s called Ghostwriter! Whatever happened to that knucklehead? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/159 "2009-02-19T21:33:49Z")
> [@CurtC](#): > > Tommy Tutone? Career ?!? As an alternative, you can have the ghost of Tommy Tune’s career, but there’s a lot more tapdancing with that one, and it can get annoying… ---
**Author:** ![lekatt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lekatt/32/7269_2.png) [@lekatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lekatt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528/160 "2009-02-19T21:40:13Z")
> [@razncain](#): > > **lekatt,** what have you learned from the spirits on your numerous Quija boards? And do you still use them somewhat regularly, and let others observe? > > razncain I haven’t used the board in years, maybe 15 years, I learned I don’t need them. I know you won’t believe it, but the board is only graphics. It is possible to know what it will say before it says it, and when you can do that you don’t need the board anymore. I learned spiritual truths on how to live in the physical and what can be expected upon returnig to the spiritual. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouija-boards-i-used-to-think-it-was-bull-until/486528.md?page=9)