"What are Ouija boards? Should a Christian play with Ouija boards?"
Answer:The modern Ouija board was created in the late 1800s as interest in spiritualism grew. A Ouija board is simply a game board that has the alphabet, numerals, and "yes" and "no" printed on its face. Used in conjunction with a pointer, Ouija boards are believed to allow spirits of the dead to communicate with the living. They are often considered to be communication gateways to those who have “passed over.” Of course, this is all based on the supposition that spirits, orghosts, even exist in the first place and that they can, or want to, communicate with the world of the living.
The Bible has a few things to say about engaging in activities of this nature:
Leviticus 19:31- "Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God."
Deuteronomy 18:10-12- "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."
Isaiah 8:19- "When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?"
Galatians 5:19-20- "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Occultists will insist that the boards work by allowing spirits of the dead to move the pointer in answer to queries. Scientists have yet to prove that the pointer is moved by anything other than the living people touching the pointer. In fact, spirits of the dead seem to get extremely confused when participants are blindfolded, at which point the Ouija board suddenly ceases to work correctly.
"Playing" with a Ouija board is engaging in occultism and is definitely not an option for a Christian. Such activity is clearly forbidden in the Bible. No matter how innocent it may seem, playing with Ouija boards can be an opening for demons to invade our hearts and minds. All demonic activity is under the control of Satan, whom Peter describes in no uncertain terms: “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (2 Peter 5:8). The scriptural example for dealing with items that pertain to the occult (books, music, jewelry, occult games, and other occult objects) is to confess involvement with them as sin and burn the items—safely, of course (Acts 19:18-19).
Recommended Resources:Logos Bible SoftwareandThe Truth Behind Ghosts, Mediums, and Psychic Phenomena by Ron Rhodes.
Answer:The modern Ouija board was created in the late 1800s as interest in spiritualism grew. A Ouija board is simply a game board that has the alphabet, numerals, and "yes" and "no" printed on its face. Used in conjunction with a pointer, Ouija boards are believed to allow spirits of the dead to communicate with the living. They are often considered to be communication gateways to those who have “passed over.” Of course, this is all based on the supposition that spirits, orghosts, even exist in the first place and that they can, or want to, communicate with the world of the living.
The Bible has a few things to say about engaging in activities of this nature:
Leviticus 19:31- "Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God."
Deuteronomy 18:10-12- "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."
Isaiah 8:19- "When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?"
Galatians 5:19-20- "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
Occultists will insist that the boards work by allowing spirits of the dead to move the pointer in answer to queries. Scientists have yet to prove that the pointer is moved by anything other than the living people touching the pointer. In fact, spirits of the dead seem to get extremely confused when participants are blindfolded, at which point the Ouija board suddenly ceases to work correctly.
"Playing" with a Ouija board is engaging in occultism and is definitely not an option for a Christian. Such activity is clearly forbidden in the Bible. No matter how innocent it may seem, playing with Ouija boards can be an opening for demons to invade our hearts and minds. All demonic activity is under the control of Satan, whom Peter describes in no uncertain terms: “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (2 Peter 5:8). The scriptural example for dealing with items that pertain to the occult (books, music, jewelry, occult games, and other occult objects) is to confess involvement with them as sin and burn the items—safely, of course (Acts 19:18-19).
Recommended Resources:Logos Bible SoftwareandThe Truth Behind Ghosts, Mediums, and Psychic Phenomena by Ron Rhodes.
While he is not the author of every article on GotQuestions.org, for citation purposes, you may reference our CEO, S. Michael Houdmann.
Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/ouija-boards.html#ixzz2aHaLIETe
The Bible does not use the term "occult." Instead, it uses the terms "sorcery" and "divination."
ReplyDeleteLev. 19:26, "You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor practice divination or soothsaying."
Deut. 18:10, "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,"
2 Kings 17:17, Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and practiced divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him."
2 Kings 21:6, "And he made his son pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and used divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord provoking Him to anger."
2 Chron. 33:6, "And he made his sons pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger."
Gal. 5:17-21, "For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Rev. 9:21, "and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts."
Therefore, it should be quite clear that the Christian is not to participate in any type of sorcery or divination. Using the Ouija board is exactly that. So, it is wrong for a Christian to use the Ouija board.