A Paranormal Opinion with James Paradie: Ouija Boards - A Gateway to Evil?

This is a pretty quick opinion piece. 

Any time Ouija Boards are brought up on Facebook, the love/hate ratio is pretty split. Some people say, "Oooh, cool!" Others, like the example above, call for panic. I'm on the "It's just a toy that people overreact to, because they've seen too many horror movies" side. I know that's going to piss people off, much like I'm sure me saying I doubt Bigfoot exists did as well, but I think people get carried away when it comes to these boards that supposedly have "mystical powers." The only board that does is Monopoly. It holds the power to turn friends into enemies and rip families apart. Joking aside, I think people believe too much in the hype. 

People have told me stories before that they have thrown Ouija Boards into a fire and it won't burn. Then, I'd find out these same people are the biggest bullshitters in town. Not that I'm saying people who have had similar experiences are lying, but validation is something the paranormal is in dire need of, and is in low quantity. If that's true, then prove it, but people think just saying it gives it validation. No. It doesn't. Or well, shouldn't.  

I look at them as the same as doing an investigation. You're pumped up, ready for something to happen, and I think that's the wrong mindset to be in, because you're more prone to believe every bump and whisper of the wind is a spirit. Also, the movement of the planchett is controlled by your movements, but it's involuntary thought. To know what the hell I'm talking about, because I most likely butchered that sentence, check out Chris Chaos' article on what I mean. 

But I do believe Ouija Boards are a gateway to evil, hell, or any other doomsday fictional place? No. I think it's the hype that spooks people. 

The thing is, you may not like what I say, and instead of pouting ... prove me wrong. Make me a believer. It's not a taunt, it's a challenge. 

For more on Ouija boards, check out these links: 

Chris Chaos' article  

History of the Ouija Board by Cindy Harper 

Is It Safe to Use an Ouija Board? by Jennifer Scelsi

Ouija by Chris Chaos

"OUIJA"
by Chris Chaos

        The Ouija Board, what is it? Is it a source that provides a method to contact spirits, a way to contact the recently deceased or just a child's game? The following is a brief history, background and uses concerning the mysterious board.

It's Not Pink! It's Lightish Red!

Neat Tombstone

Paranormal Humor: Somethings Wrong Here (Warning: Explicit Language!)

Paranormal Humor: It Works!

Paranormal Humor: Ouija Boards Are Sooooo Yesterday...

Devil's Toy Box

“The Devil’s Toy Box”
Written by James Paradie
Published in the White Mountain Shopper on October 1st, 2010

Authors Note (Updated Aug. 2011): After much debate I have decided to bring the Devil's Toy Box article back to the website. Reason for it was honestly I didn't appreciate some of the comments people were posting on other sites about how I'm basically an idiot for thinking mirrors could bring demon's out. Let me make myself clear: I did NOT try this experiment, nor will I ever. It sounds dangerous anyways, I'll stick to Pedulum and the ghost box, but anything with the word "devil" in it I've been told by some pretty intelligent people in the paranormal field to stay away. I am a paranormal reporter, I report stories about paranormal happenings, haunted places, and etc, so that doesn't mean I'm the one who made up the Devil's Toy Box. I hate to sound like a cry baby, I know people are not always going to like what I have to say, but if I say I did this, then have at it, but if I didn't, be a little considerate. Anyways, what it all came down to was traffic and the Devil's Toy Box get's a lot of it which means more people can read the other more interesting topics I touch base on. After a year of dealing with negativity towards me about this topic, I hate this article, but traffic brings in readers, so go ahead and enjoy. Just remember: I am not the one who "created" the Devil's Toy Box.

You’ve heard about Ouija Boards, Frank’s Box, Glass Swirling, but have you ever heard of a device named “The Devil’s Toy Box”? This device is somewhat unknown within the community of the paranormal. What’s the reason behind it’s unknowing? Is it because it has the name “devil” within it? Like demonic creatures are going to come in from the mirror, reach out, grab you, and take you the depths of the underworld? No. Or at least that’s never been reported.

The Devil’s Toy Box is where you take six mirrors; you can use any size, but the other mirrors must be of the same size; then, you form a cube with the mirrors. Although who created this technique is unknown at the moment the man who made it popular is fellow paranormal junkie, Joshua P. Warren. Mr. Warren first discussed the paranormal gadget on Coast to Coast AM with George Noory.

But, you take six mirrors of the same size, put them into a cube form…Okay, what else do you do? Do you do any special séance or do you put some witch spell on it? Neither. You simply let it sit and let it do it’s “work”. Supposedly if you were to let this sit for awhile the six mirrors, according to Mr. Warren, cause a back and forth energy loop. Over time you could be hearing strange noises coming from the cube. Growling and other weird noises have been reported coming from the mirror. However, this is only from Mr. Warren’s word and I have not been able to touch base with other reports of anyone else doing this and I haven’t either. Would you do it?

Some would say not, and to stay clear away from anything that has to do with mirrors within the paranormal world. Some sources have told me that negative energy loves to use mirrors as an entrance point and exit from our world to their world. Then, some religions, such as Wicca, use The Devil's Toy Box to capture and remove negative spirits. The Wiccans also believe that the reason they leave is because of the mirrors and they can't stand the sight of themselves.

An Ouija Board may be considered dangerous, but a device that supposedly causes growling noises to come from it? With how neat this device sounds it’s too bad that so little information can be retrieved about it, but maybe there is a reason for that. It could be just some sort of false hocus pocus to get people scared sheetless (no pun intended) or maybe something a little more “devilish” then what it intends?

Special thanks to Dennis Rano who owns an excellent site called theufologists.com for the information on the Devil’s Toy Box. Other references included a Coast to Coast AM interview with Joshua P. Warren conducted by George Noory as well as several other Graveyard Disciples from my Facebook group who were so generous to provide information on the device.

Thanks for reading!