# Ouiji Boards, what do you think about them? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 19, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385 "2003-10-19T17:09:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/1 "2003-10-19T17:09:29Z")
I just recently watched a few people use an ouiji board for the first time. I’m a skeptic, but I was amazed with the answers that they were getting. What do you think of the boards? Do you think they’re for real? ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/2 "2003-10-19T17:10:46Z")
Ouij **a**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dinoboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/65b543/32.png) [@dinoboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinoboy)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/3 "2003-10-19T18:01:03Z")
I’m a skeptic about these things usually… BUT, I did have a strange experience once back in H.S. when I, and another, “played” with one. The thing actually started to move about the board (in the ‘figure 8’ style) and answered all sorts of questions for us. I, thinking we were doing this unconsiously or so, had an observer give us questions that neither of us (players) would know the answer to - and it STILL answered the questions correctly (insert ‘twilight zone’ music here). That wasn’t all, we then asked about what ‘Spirit’ we were dealing with and it spelled out s.a.t.i.n - to which I quizically responded, “Do you mean Satin?” At this, all of the lights in the house went out, and I, and my partner, both recieved what felt like an electric shock, throwing my arms from the game. I’m not saying we WERE dealing with any spirits then, but I am still curious to what actually happened. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/4 "2003-10-19T18:11:36Z")
It’s ummm, a _game_, from Parker Bros., I think. It can be amusing with the right players, but it’s a _game_. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/5 "2003-10-19T19:25:24Z")
I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/6 "2003-10-19T19:58:58Z")
Yes, the “spirits” have nothing better to do than “guide” a mass-produced piece of plastic around a mass-produced sheet of wood. It doesn’t work if you make your own piece of plastic and piece of wood; you’ve got to buy the set manufactured by Parker Brothers. The “spirits” get kickbacks, you know. ---
**Author:** ![superstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@superstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/superstar)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/7 "2003-10-19T21:03:29Z")
They scare the hell out of me (not literally!). I would never use one or even be in the same house as someone using one. I’ve never been a part of one, but the idea makes me uneasy. Maybe they work maybe they don’t, I don’t care. I have no desire to summons the dead, nor mess with something that could turn evil. Just writing about it is making me feel weird, I’m getting out of here… ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/8 "2003-10-19T21:03:44Z")
“satin”? ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/9 "2003-10-19T21:55:09Z")
Take a gander at what [Skepdic.com](http://Skepdic.com) [to say.](http://www.skepdic.com/ouija.html) ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/10 "2003-10-19T22:55:52Z")
I believe they are evil and spirits can work thru them to bother people. If someone gave me one, I wouldthrow it away. Don’t bother mocking, I won’t listen. (Now I will see how His4ever felt) ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/11 "2003-10-19T23:02:41Z")
Those boards are full of trolls. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/12 "2003-10-19T23:37:42Z")
I see by their web site that Parker Bros. also manufactures Twister, Scrabble and Monopoly. Do _these_ give you the heebie-jeebies and summon up the dead, too? ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/13 "2003-10-19T23:46:09Z")
No, **Eve** , Monopoly doesn’t give me the heebie-jeebies (although Mr. Moneybags has always kinda looked shifty to me). [Voodoo](http://www.folkart.com/voodooshop/dolls.htm) dolls are another “toy” that many people believe holds dark powers. You can buy your voodoo doll with VISA MasterCard _and_ American Express! Just because it happens to be sold by a company doesn’t mean much. ---
**Author:** ![snac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@snac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snac)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/14 "2003-10-19T23:53:02Z")
In a late-night college session I and my future wife contacted a spirit named “Clem” via Ouija. Clem said that we would move to Kansas after graduation. Nothing against Kansas, but it didn’t happen that way and it don’t look like it’s gonna happen now either… ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/15 "2003-10-20T00:27:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Manduck \* > \*\*“satin”? \*\* Satan’s developmentally challenged brother. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/16 "2003-10-20T00:32:36Z")
A ouija board is a piece of cardboard with letters printed on it. It contains no mystical powers. Its operation is easily explained by the ideomotor effect. Anyone who believes otherwise is being foolish. Simple tests to demonstrate that the people whose hands are on the pointer (“planchette”) are controlling it unconsciously:[ol][li]Have a group use the board answer questions using the board for a few minutes. Then blindfold them and ask them the same set of questions while they cannot see the board. Without their knowledge, rotate the board one-hundred-eighty degrees. Watch with amusement as they send the pointer to where the letters used to be.[_]Make a new ouija board with symbol substitution instead of letters: heart for letter A, square for letter B, asterisk for letter C, down arrow for letter D, smiley face for letter E, and so forth. Write the code on a piece of paper and set it aside. The resulting message will be gibberish.[_]As a slight modification of the above, make the code visible to the participants, and watch them trying not to be obvious about glancing at it to see what letter stands for what so they know where to send the pointer. For extra amusement, make two slightly different versions of the code to be read by the people on opposite sides of the board, and watch the ensuing planchette fight.Get or make a new ouija board using an alternative alphabet. For example, use a Cyrillic board and try to contact a Russian-speaking spirit.[/ol]It is a non-magical, non-mystical item. Period. The tests above, and any number of additional similar tests, will clearly demonstrate that the participants are the active motivators of the pointer. It’s spooky, but it’s easily explained and debunked.[/li] It may be a fun party game, but attempting to connect it to some “spirit realm” or whatever is bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/17 "2003-10-20T00:46:15Z")
I am skeptical of anything claiming to be from “the other side” so tests such as messing with the board as you describe do answer the question as to if the participants decide to move the pointer. I am wondering, though, if the percentage of questions that the participants do not know the answers to and were answered _correctly_ matches that of questions that the participants _do_ know the answers. _phew_ ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/18 "2003-10-20T00:47:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*I see by their web site that Parker Bros. also manufactures Twister, Scrabble and Monopoly. Do _these_ give you the heebie-jeebies and summon up the dead, too? \*\* What, with the way **auntie em** and I play Twister? After a few bottles of wine? _Something_ arcane and evil is afoot, I tell ya’. > [@](#): > > Clem said that we would move to Kansas after graduation. Ohhhh… so, you got an _ **evil** _ spirit. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/19 "2003-10-20T01:03:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\*I see by their web site that Parker Bros. also manufactures Twister, Scrabble and Monopoly. Do _these_ give you the heebie-jeebies and summon up the dead, too? \*\* Attempting to get information outside the will of God is forbidden. I don’t think Monopoly or Scrabble qualify. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385/20 "2003-10-20T01:38:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Manduck \* > \*\*“satin”? \*\* Satin, Lord of Heck. Ouiji boards. :rolleyes: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ouiji-boards-what-do-you-think-about-them/208385.md?page=2)