Teachers apparently didn't foresee Ouija board ruckus

The Tampa Tribune ^ | 9/26/12 | Shannon Behnken

[ruralvoter]

Tim Ellefson said he was shocked when his son, who is in seventh grade, came home interested in a book about Ouija boards and summoning spirits.

While many see the Ouija board as a harmless game for fun, others like Ellefson think it's evil.

"We're Christians, and we try to raise our son to be a Christian," said Tim Ellefson, a parent. "My belief is good spirits are in heaven. Bad spirits come from the other place. And I don't want my children connecting with bad spirits."

So Ellefson was furious when he learned a teacher brought a Ouija board into his 13-year-old son's classroom at Burns Middle School in Brandon. His teacher invited a fellow teacher from another Hillsborough County school to speak to her reading class.

The teacher, Theresa Clinton, is also an author and wrote a book – "Ouija Board Diaries: Summoning Spirits."

It's a work of fiction about a young girl who moves into a house with a ghost. The teacher spoke about her book and displayed a Ouija board, printed with the usual letters and symbols for spelling out reputed spiritualistic and telepathic messages.

[MarMema]

Hopefully this teacher was able to summon a spirit that went home with her and will stay a long time.

[Terry Mross]

I agree with the kid’s father. Messin’ with dark spirits opens you up to the dark side. The kid that THE EXORCIST was based on had played the board game with his aunt and he because possessed. As far as I’m concerned, you start messin’ with evil you’d best have a strong foundation. And a cross around your neck!

[AnalogReigns]

More evidence that if you care about your kids...DON’T send them to government schools...

[I still care]

The teacher actually wrote a book about Ouija. You know a whole bunch of parents are going to be bent out of shape about that.

Most Christians view Ouija as satanic. That the teacher was unaware of this is surprising to me. Most people know, whether they believe it or not, not to bring stuff like tarot or Ouija around Christian kids. I remember when I was child, many years ago, a kid brought a ouija to school for a grab bag gift - the teacher quietly removed it.

[DannyTN]

Lev 20:6 'And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people.

Deu 18:9 "When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.
Deu 18:10 "There shall not be found among you [anyone] who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, [or one] who practices witchcraft, [or] a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
Deu 18:11 "or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.
Deu 18:12 "For all who do these things [are] an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.

[SECURE AMERICA]

Do the teachers lack actual educational knowledge to pass on to their charges? Do they lack the ability to create an instructive lesson plan? Are the just stupid?

[cherry]

this doesn’t bother me except you all know that if the teacher brought a crucifix or a rosary to school to talk to the kids about Christianity, he’d be fired, or repremanded....

[SIDENET]

While many see the Ouija board as a harmless game for fun, others like Ellefson think it's evil.

Can we compromise with "evil, but fun"?

(No, I've never played with one of those damned things.)

[Persevero]

Ah yes, trying to contact that dead. A death penalty offense, scripturally.

Dear sir, if you are trying to raise your kids as Christians, you are sending them to school in the wrong place. They aren’t on your side there.

[NameOnFile]

our 15 year old asked about these-—
i told her you are making a long distance
call and dont know who (or what)
might answer

[Beowulf9]

Paying taxes to teach the kids and this teacher is hawking her book!

Isn’t that a conflict of interest?

[HerrBlucher]

Correct, or another way to put it, opening your front door and allowing anyone who happens to pass by to come in. I have read the most modern cases of possession are the result of “playing” with a Ouija board or some other method of communicating with the dead.

[jsanders2001]

Time and time again I have seen Ouija boards bring about demonic activity. The idea of the Ouija board is of ancient origins in many countries and was banned in some of them, probably for good reason.

[Eccl 10:2]

I agree with the kid’s father. Messin’ with dark spirits opens you up to the dark side. The kid that THE EXORCIST was based on had played the board game with his aunt and he because possessed. As far as I’m concerned, you start messin’ with evil you’d best have a strong foundation. And a cross around your neck!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Terry - while your heart is in the right place, please don’t use a Hollywood movie to justify your position on *anything*. If you do, the other side does the same and you have justified them using Hollywood trash to support their position.

When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness in Matthew 4, he didn’t counter Satan’s temptations with, “Well, I saw this movie once and it’s a bad idea to...”. No, Jesus quoted scripture. Just like the poster a few entries below yours and above mine.

[theBuckwheat]

Since the Ouija is a way for demons to come into the life and mind of a child, I would no more allow my child access to a Ouija than I would allow them to sample cocaine.

[grellis]

Can we compromise with "evil, but fun"?

Certainly not as parents. It's a question of moral clarity.

[Terry Mross]

The movie THE EXORCIST was based on a boy who played with the board game. They also think he may have been molested by his aunt.

I also know of the man in the Bible who attempted to cast out a demon and the demon said “I know Jesus but who are you?” and he proceeded to beat the crap out of the guy. So, I still believe one should not open one’s self up to “darkness”.

I believe in exorcism. But I don’t think just anyone should it. I’d be like Richard Pryor in the SNL skit about THE EXORCIST. He started backing out of the room and the priest asked him where he was going and he said something like “I left my crucifix in the car. I’m gonna’ go get it.”

[I still care]

It’s a little more than that. Certain religions consider Ouija demonic. Here’s a teacher saying, here, I wrote this cute, fun book about a girl who had one.

It’s like bringing in a voodoo priestess casting spells. It’s going to absolutely freak some folks. Don’t do it. Of course, I’m not for sex education in schools, either.

[MarMema]

The movie was based on a real story.

We know that, in January 1949, members of the family - probably led by [the boy's] mother and grandmother - began experimenting with a Ouija board. The disturbances began around 18 January; scratching noises came from the walls, the boy’s bed would shake violently and objects (such as fruit and pictures) would jump to the floor in the boy’s presence. [The boy] - if he was suspected at all - claimed to be possessed by an "invisible entity." It is significant (from the diary entries) that Mrs. Doe suspected that there was a connection between the strange events and the death of "Aunt Tillie," a spiritualist who had introduced the family to the Ouija board. At various points throughout this ordeal, Mrs. Doe attempted to communicate with Aunt Tillie, apparently alternating the beliefs that the problems with her son were either the work of the Devil or their departed relative.

I would add that I had the occasion to visit the hospital room personally where the most significant exorcism was performed in St. Louis at the old Alexian Brothers medical center.