Ouija: It's Only a Game, Right?

The Ouija (Wee-Gee or Wee-Jah) Board. A way to sit down with your friends on a dark and stormy night and have a seance (accent over the "e") and contact the dead! Or a way for your friends to make up silly answers to your questions! Either way, what's it all about?

The Ouija Board consists of a flat surface with letters, numbers and other symbols printed on it. A planchette, or pointer, rolls over these letters/symbols/numbers when a question is asked to reveal the answer.

Some believe that the first "Ouija-like" object was found in China in 1200 B.C. called "fuji". Others think Pythagoras did it first. Others believe that both are wrong and that the first use of the Ouija started in the mid 19th century with the movement of Modern Spiritualism.

In the late 1800s the Ouija began to be sold as a novelty game. Today, Parker Brothers sells it as a party game.

There is an ongoing debate as to whether or not the Ouija is truly controlled by the spiritual world, or whether we move it ourselves, either knowingly or unknowingly. This website is skeptical about the Ouija, and believes that it is moving due to our own unconscious mind. You can also learn more about the history of the Ouija here. Also visit this website, which is dedicated to the Ouija.

There has always been a public interest in the heavily criticized and debated Ouija. According to my best friend, Wikipedia, Sylvia Plath wrote a poem about it when she and Ted Hughes would play with it. Kirk Hammett, the guitarist of Metallica, has a Ouija Board designed guitar that he plays with. Morrissey has a song called "Ouija Board". Amy Carter would use it in the Lincoln Bedroom to contact Lincoln, who is believed to haunt it. N.W.A. could even be seen using it in their videos.

Along the same lines as the Ouija could be the Magic 8 ball, which is used to tell fortunes. I use it to find out if I should call out of work or not..or if Jim and really likes me...or if I'm ever going to be a millionaire (it always tells me "not a chance").

This website is an online Ouija that you type in a question, put your mouse over it, and it answers. Now, I'm skeptical of it. It's kind of 50/50.

• First I asked "what time is it?" and it went to "12" (it was 11:59, so I'll give it to it, it's a little ahead, but maybe it's spiritual clock is off).


• Then I asked "How old am i?" and it went to "yes", which doesn't make sense.


• Then I asked "does jim love me?" and it again went to "yes", so that was nice.


• And finally, I asked it the true test: "do i love halloween?" and it moved over to "no", which is clearly incorrect. so, 2 out of 2 isn't too bad.

I also found another website with the same kind of online Ouija, and I asked the same questions, and here were its responses:

• 5


• "Cannot Say"


• No


• Yes

I don't know how I feel about the 2nd website...Either way, they're both pretty fun to ask questions to and see what it answers. And it's great if you're bored at work.

The Ouija also inspired a series of movies in 1986 (told you the 80's were great), 1993 and 1995, respectively: WitchBoard, Witchboard 2: The Devil's Doorway, and Witchboard 3: The Possession, that were complete garbage, yet strangely entertaining (Tawny Kitaen is in the first one, btw).

So, about this Ouija...you know, I'm not really sure. I have played it before, I think I even own one somewhere...my mother may have thrown it out, she hated it. I think anytime I have played it, one of my friends would move it and then it would turn into something ridiculous like "what color shoes does so-and-so wear?" or "why don't I make more money?" or "why did Jim name himself "Rusty Kage" when he wrestled?" (j/k about the last one, Jimbo). I don't think I really believe in the Ouija. At least, I don't believe in the Parker Bros. one. Maybe if I was trapped in a haunted house with an old wooden carved one, I'd be a believer.

Either way, the Ouija provided me with some great memories of laughing with my friends about who we were stuck marrying when we grew up. SpooOoOoOky!