quija boards and haunted houses

shadowcomplex

As Athiests I assume ye would have no fears with messing with quija boards or staying alone in a well known suposedly haunted house for a night?

krudler

theres a magic thread just below this, couldnt have stuck it in there no?

shadowcomplex

krudler wrote: »

theres a magic thread just below this, couldnt have stuck it in there no?

No

Paparazzo

Aren't Ouija boards considered a childs toy and available in toy shops? Think that sums them up for me. Would love to have a go of one with "believers" just to fúck with their heads.

I would have zero problems having a go of one, it's as scary as a game of scrabble. As for haunted houses, we have hundreds in ireland alone apparently, but there's no video footage or photos that have footage of a ghost.

krudler

Fair enough, to answer, no not really, are big empty houses creepy? yes. are they haunted, probably not. stuff that happens that cant be explained isnt really anything to with not believing in god though

Turtwig

shadowcomplex wrote: »

No

Well your assumption is invalid, magic has nothing to do with atheism you can still believe in magic or spirits and be an atheist.

Personally speaking I've dicked around with a ouija board and not noticed anything. There is a fascinating scientific phenomenon in which most people associate essences with stuff that clearly shouldn't have on. For example, a lot of people get strange jibes when they see old medieval weapons that were actually used to torture or kill people. They are also reluctant to wear clothes that were worn by a violent serial killer and the killers' houses are usually demolished not sold, or if they are sold it is usually well below the normal market value. The origin of theism likely originates from this association of essences and agents to most things non human and non living.

nyarlothothep

I wouldn't mess around with them if only because after the 40-50 minutes it would probably take to get into the state for the ideomotor effect to work, I'd probably be highly suggestible and would probably believe in it,, even though it would just be a subconcious delusion. As for hauntings, I've wandered around a few supposedly haunted areas late at night and have never seen a ghost, nor felt any strange vibes, in fact quite the opposite. If anything I would be delighted to see a ghost as it would confirm the existence of an afterlife.

Merrick

Never messed with an ouija board, but I wouldn't be afraid of trying it for the craic.

I've been in some haunted houses and haven't felt or seen anything out of the ordinary. It was a bit strange seeing piles of post at the doors and personal possessions left lying around, but any sense of creepiness came from the absence of the owners rather than the presence of a ghost, spirit or whatever.

5uspect

nyarlothothep wrote: »

I wouldn't mess around with them if only because after the 40-50 minutes it would probably take to get into the state for the ideomotor effect to work, I'd probably be highly suggestible and would probably believe in it,, even though it would just be a subconcious delusion. As for hauntings, I've wandered around a few supposedly haunted areas late at night and have never seen a ghost, nor felt any strange vibes, in fact quite the opposite. If anything I would be delighted to see a ghost as it would confirm the existence of an afterlife.

With a name like nyarlothothep I would have imagined that you would be the one to strike fear into non-believers with your unspeakable powers of the arcane.

Dave!

Would have no problem playing with an ouija board...

Some houses can be creepy though. Even though your rational brain knows that there's no such thing as ghosts, haunting, etc., it doesn't mean that you can always control your emotional reaction to being in the dark, or that you're immune to being creeped out by stories.

Case in point - stayed in a hostel in the Blue Mountains in Australia a few months ago, and there were only about 7 people in the whole place. Myself and my mate stayed up after everyone else went to bed, and the staff left us to turn off the lights, etc. The building is pretty old, and it was freezing cold, and everything creeked, etc. I felt pretty uncomfortable when I had to go find the toilets, walking down empty corridors and so on. Even though I knew all was good, I was just waiting to turn a corner and get a fright off something!

It also doesn't help that we're conditioned from the media, books, culture, etc., to find these places scary.

So in conclusion: it depends on the house. If someone dared me to stay in the Hellfire Club on my own for the night, I'd be inclined to turn them down, but if a mate invited me for drinks in their house, and said that I could stay the night, but warned that the house is very haunted, then I'd have no trouble with that.

seanybiker

Messed around with them years ago. Nothing ever happened. Got bored so didn't bother trying them again.

AhSureTisGrand

Why do ouija boards always speak in the vernacular?

Gregor Samsa

AhSureTisGrand wrote: »

Why do ouija boards always speak in the vernacular?

Parker Brothers make them from the crushed bones of the Babel fish.

nyarlothothep

5uspect wrote: »

With a name like nyarlothothep I would have imagined that you would be the one to strike fear into non-believers with your unspeakable powers of the arcane.

um yes, but even the great nyarlothothep has his limits

Goduznt Xzst

shadowcomplex wrote: »

As Athiests I assume ye would have no fears with messing with quija boards or staying alone in a well known suposedly haunted house for a night?

I've slept in places exposed to the elements and natural predators. I'd actually feel safe sleeping in a supposed haunted house.

I've lay awake listening to rustling and cracking twigs close to me, only to wake up and find fresh grizzly spoors a stones throw from my camp.

I like to use my senses for the real, rather than the imaginary. Reality has the capacity to be far more terrifying.

Bloody Nipples

Hasbro (the toy company) own the patent on ouija boards. Should tell you all you need to know about them.

Turtwig

Bloody Nipples wrote: »

Hasbro (the toy company) own the patent on ouija boards. Should tell you all you need to know about them.

Aww I always wanted Transformers to be real, now that dream is more or less shattered.:(

Daftendirekt

I'd have no problem giving it a shot in a supposedly haunted house, though I wouldn't be expecting much.

I've tried it before and had nothing happen. Probably because I didn't do it in a creepy enough environment.

mcmoustache

AhSureTisGrand wrote: »

Why do ouija boards always speak in the vernacular?

I made a post in the paranormal proum which addresses this and other issues.

Here.

I should point out that I believe Ouija boards are bollox and the post was tongue-in-cheek.

Merrick

mcmoustache wrote: »

I made a post in the paranormal proum which addresses this and other issues.

Here.

I should point out that I believe Ouija boards are bollox and the post was tongue-in-cheek.

Deadly post, it gave me a much needed laugh.

Dades

I tried using ouija boards as a kid, and also spent quite a lot of time in the local haunted house.

We even made a low budget (£0) horror movie there when I was about 16 and even persuaded gurrls to be in it. :pac:

Zombrex

shadowcomplex wrote: »

As Athiests I assume ye would have no fears with messing with quija boards or staying alone in a well known suposedly haunted house for a night?

No problem with Ouija boards, but that MB Game of Life, man I stay the feck away from that stuff, it is messed up :P

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouija#Toy

Zombrex

Dades wrote: »

We even made a low budget (£0) horror movie there when I was about 16 and even persuaded gurrls to be in it. :pac:

Dades, are you sure the script calls for me to be naked swimming in a pool of jelly?

Yes, now do you want me to make you a star or not!

maximoose

Goduznt Xzst wrote: »

I've slept in places exposed to the elements and natural predators. I'd actually feel safe sleeping in a supposed haunted house.

I've lay awake listening to rustling and cracking twigs close to me, only to wake up and find fresh grizzly spoors a stones throw from my camp.

I like to use my senses for the real, rather than the imaginary. Reality has the capacity to be far more terrifying.

It's ok Mr Grylls calm down he was only asking

Standman

I messed around with a ouija board when I was a kid, must have been about 11 or 12 - although even then I thought it was a crock of shíte. I say ouija board but it was really just a piece of paper with the alphabet written on it and a small drinking glass turned upside down plus I wasn't even sure what you were meant to do with it. My friend got really scared when we were about to do it so he left the room, me being a mischevious little fecker I decided to write a cryptic message: "don't run" on the piece of paper. On his return I told him that I had no recollection of writing it and that I had a really weird feeling about it. The next day I called to his house and his mother answered the door, told me she heard about the ouija board incident and recommended I go home as she had rang my parents. Haven't talked to him since, his parents must have been very superstitious by the looks of things. Woopsy!

From that day on I have never underestimated the power of the Ouija board - or in this case, the alphabet and my cruel imagination.

pts

The very cool scienceofscamsc4 youtube channel (featuring Derren Brown) has loads of interesting videos explaining the "supernatural".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cma5Zn7xrWU

The Psychic video is also very is also very good

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcFYQ8EW7Ec

For more Derren Brown ruining the supernatural industry see Derren Brown Investigates on 4OD.

HavingCrack

Out of interest if you don't believe in the supernatural (as I don't) why would the idea of spending then night in a 'haunted' house creep the fcuk out of me ? What's the actual neurological/biological etc. reasoning behind?

axer

HavingCrack wrote: »

Out of interest if you don't believe in the supernatural (as I don't) why would the idea of spending then night in a 'haunted' house creep the fcuk out of me ? What's the actual neurological/biological etc. reasoning behind?

I dont believe in supernatural etc but I do believe in the power of the mind. My fear of seeing a ghost or something for instance is not that the ghost exists but more that my mind has twisted reality and put me in a place where I dont know for sure what is real or what is not. That to me is my ultimate fear - a mental health issue that affects my perception of reality.

nozzferrahhtoo

shadowcomplex wrote: »

As Athiests I assume ye would have no fears with messing with quija boards or staying alone in a well known suposedly haunted house for a night?

I fear that both would be intensely boring, uneventful, and a complete waste of my time. Does that count?

Tabnabs

A little OT, but these threads on another forum show there are plenty of things that can go bump in the night

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43184

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=70558

Is it the mind playing tricks, is there insufficient evidence to explain something perfectly normal or is it best not to hang around to find out...

biko

I'd be more scared of junkies in haunted houses than ghosts.

pH

HavingCrack wrote: »

Out of interest if you don't believe in the supernatural (as I don't) why would the idea of spending then night in a 'haunted' house creep the fcuk out of me ? What's the actual neurological/biological etc. reasoning behind?

It's primarily cultural conditioning, we're creeped out by certain things, I thinks it's related to this :

In the public lectures I give on the origins of supernatural thinking, I hand out a black fountain pen dating from the 30s that once belonged to Albert Einstein. OK, I lie to the audience about the provenance of the pen, but the reverence and awe towards this object is palpable. Everyone wants to hold it. Then I ask the audience if they would be willing to wear the cardigan I brought along. They are understandably suspicious. After a moment's consideration, usually around one-third of them raise their hands. So I offer a prize. More hands are raised. I then tell them about Cromwell Street as an image of Fred West rises menacingly from the bottom of the PowerPoint display. Once they are told that the cardigan belonged to Fred West, most hands usually shoot down, followed by a ripple of nervous laughter. People recognise that their change of heart reflects something odd.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/may/09/superstitions

Turtwig

pH wrote: »

It's primarily cultural conditioning, we're creeped out by certain things, I thinks it's related to this :

In the public lectures I give on the origins of supernatural thinking, I hand out a black fountain pen dating from the 30s that once belonged to Albert Einstein. OK, I lie to the audience about the provenance of the pen, but the reverence and awe towards this object is palpable. Everyone wants to hold it. Then I ask the audience if they would be willing to wear the cardigan I brought along. They are understandably suspicious. After a moment's consideration, usually around one-third of them raise their hands. So I offer a prize. More hands are raised. I then tell them about Cromwell Street as an image of Fred West rises menacingly from the bottom of the PowerPoint display. Once they are told that the cardigan belonged to Fred West, most hands usually shoot down, followed by a ripple of nervous laughter. People recognise that their change of heart reflects something odd.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/may/09/superstitions

Kinda getting off topic bu I cannot recommend Mr Hood's book highly enough.