Steer Clear of Ouija boards this Christmas, Urges Priest

Sales of ouija boards have skyrocketed this Christmas following the release of the Universal film Ouija in October — up 300 percent over last year, according to a recent Google sales survey. But while this may be good news for toy manufacturers, some are fearful that widening use of the device could open a Pandora's box of unimagined horrors.

Dublin's Irish Independent quotes one unidentified Catholic priest who warns against even the lighthearted use of the classic seance device. ‘It’s easy to open up evil spirits but it’s very hard to get rid of them.

"People, especially young people and teenagers who are likely to experiment with Ouija boards on a whim, can be very naive in thinking that they are only contacting the departed souls of loved-ones when they attempt to communicate with the dead using the boards.

"It’s like going to some parts of Africa and saying I’m personally immune to Ebola, but it does leave people open to all kinds of spiritual dangers."

First introduced in 1890, ouija boards supposedly facilitate communication with the spirits of the deceased. Players typically ask a question aloud after which a small device called a planchette moves among a list of letters and numbers to reveal the spirit's response. The name ouija is comprised of the French ("oui") and German ("ja") words for "yes."

The screen version of Ouija stars Olivia Cooke and Daren Kagasoff. Universally panned by critics, the film has already earned over $65 million against total receipts of around $5 million. 

Watch this blog for further spiritual warnings as the season continues, and please don't say we didn't warn you.

Watch the trailer for the film Ouija (2014)