It's just a game, don't get upset about it. Parker Brothers makes it, so there can't be anything wrong with it." (From a teenager at a church youth group meeting). If Ouija is just a game it is certainly horrifying. It is a game that has, resulted in physical harm, suicides, psychiatric illness, psychological disturbance and emotional instability. Are such effects really part of a 'game', or is there more to ouija than eerie entertainment?

HISTORY

The ouija board was invented in 1853 by William Fold, but didn't become popular until the 1920s. In 1965 the Parker brothers purchased the rights to the game and sales increased dramatically - even exceeding those of Monopoly. The film 'The Exorcist' contributed to the popularity of ouija. It tells the story of a child who becomes demon-possessed after experimenting with an ouija board.

PLAYING THE GAME

The ouija board is used for contacting the dead and sometimes locating the living. Lt consists of a small glass and flat board that has the letters of the alphabet inscribed upon it along with numbers from 0-9 and the words 'yes', 'no' and goodbye'. Participants place their forefingers on the glass and the person acting as the medium invites a spirit to enter the room. The spirit then enables the glass to move across the board indicating various numbers and letters and thus providing answers to questions, purporting to be a contact from 'the other side'. Usually, one to six people can 'play' ouija, but it has been known for whole classes to participate secretly during school lunchtimes.

EFFECTS OF THE GAME

The use of ouija has a number of physical effects. Room temperature has been known to alter suddenly, strong winds occur, messages are given in a foreign language, apparitions appear and objects fly randomly around the room.

While these events may be unusual and frightening it is the mental and emotional disturbance which is most alarming. Contact with the board has resulted in personality disorders, bizarre behaviours, nightmares, and illnesses described by psychiatrists as Imediumistic psychosis'. School children have been bewitched by the board and terrified by its revelations of an early death. When the board reveals something about the past or future of a player this knowledge can become a binding force in the life of the individual. This may cause them to be manipulated by fear and generate a spiritual atmosphere, which can provide an easy opportunity for spirits to enter players and oppression to occur.

WHAT'S BEHIND OUIJA

Christians believe that the power of ouija comes from Satan and is manifest through his evil spirits. They are able to masquerade as dead relatives or friends and provide extensive and often accurate information about the past, future, and those participating in the game. The spirits are deceitful, cunning and manipulative. Through ouija they seek to gain dominance in the life of an individual, making that person a slave to their authority. They maintain control by fear and can cause a person to radically alter their behaviour, sometimes resulting in harm to themselves and others.

CONCLUSION

The Bible teaches that consulting such spirits through a ouija board or any other means is harmful and wrong. True wisdom for living life is given by God and obtained through a relationship with Jesus Christ. The power and influence of ouija in a person's life can only be broken by the greater power of Jesus. He came to break the power of all evil and sin and give freedom and forgiveness to those who turn away from their involvement in such practices.

"The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work." (1 John 3:8)

True freedom comes from God through Jesus. Accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour opens the way to a new life and eternal hope.

Jesus said: I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me. (John 14:6)

You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. (John 8: 31-32)