The Skeptics Society & Skeptic magazine

ALSO INSIDE SKEPTIC

in this issue

Secrets of the Ouija Board

• what the ouija told me about nessie
• mistaken predictions
• an ancient oracle?
• ancestors of the ouija
• the Boston Planchette
• the Fox Sisters
• inventing the ouija
• don’t trust an unreliable source!
• true dangers of ouija boards

from the Introduction

Hello!

Today we will dim the lights and gather around an object of mystery: the ouija (pronounced “wee-ja” or “wee-gee”). With a little pointer, these simple but spooky devices spell out answers that appear to come from some invisible source. Some people believe ouija boards release secrets from our subconscious minds. Others claim ouija boards harness supernatural forces to predict the future or contact spirits of the dead. Ouija boards have been used to write entire books, and praised as a source of cosmic wisdom. They have also been blamed for madness, mayhem, and murder. Some even fear that ouija boards are gateways for evil demons. Are any of these claims true? Let’s find out!