Ask the Pastor

By Pastor Scott Denham of Harvest Fellowship, Shambaugh, IA

Clarinda Herald Journal Publication Date : 4/25/2007

The Ouija Board

"The Ouija Board is becoming popular among my children's school friends. Could you address this subject?"

The Ouija (wee-ja) Board is a modern board game with ancient origins, dating back to the practice of Fu Ji, 1200 B.C. in China. Ouija Boards are also called talking boards, or spirit boards. The Ouija is just one of many methods of practicing divination, an occult practice almost as old as mankind itself.

Divination is the use of any means to foretell future events or to uncover obscure knowledge by the aid of spirit beings, the dead, or any spiritual force, other than the God of the universe.

All spirit boards, like the Ouija, use a lettered and numbered board to communicate with the spirit world, ghosts, the dead, etc. The spirit supposedly moves a free sliding 'planchette' to spell out words, answer yes-or-no questions, and reveal other information.

Skeptic and magician James Randi, who has researched and exposed many frauds in the occult realm, points out that, when blindfolded, Ouija board operators are unable to produce intelligible messages. Nevertheless, there are countless stories of supernatural phenomenon and demonic involvement connected to Ouija Board use. Added to its nefarious occult connection, Aleister Crowley, is an avid supporter.

The occult is a minefield that every Christian should skirt. Whether the Ouija works or not, is hardly the point. What should matter to believers is that every form of divination is explicitly forbidden by God and has the potential for demonic activity. Like the victims of a minefield, if they had known of the bombs planted along the path, they surely would have taken a different course.

Deuteronomy 18:9-13, offers this strong warning against occult practices: "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD... You must be blameless before the LORD your God."

So, if you want to pooh-pooh these remarks, call the Ouija “a harmless game for kids,” and promote or engage in its activity, you do so in contradiction to the command of Scripture, walking boldly among the explosives... Watch your step!

--Pastor Scott (www.askpastorscott.com)