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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have refused to let them use a ouija board in my house

234 replies

FrankWelker · 07/01/2015 12:19

We had some friends over for new year and one night they got out a ouija board. I'm scared off them (never done one so don't know why) and point blank refused to let them play it in my house (nicely). I was telling my cousin about this today and she said I'm a right wuss! I know it's my house and I can refuse but do other people have the same kind of fear with this sort of thing?

OP posts:
MuttersDarkly · 07/01/2015 12:45

It's as risky/dangerous as Monopoly.

However... I am afraid of totally benign spiders, as in "screams like a banshee while flailing madly, ending with big sobs" sort of afraid.

So understand why for the sake of not poking an irrational fear with a big stick, you'd rather ban it.

If I could ban poxy, lurky, jump-on-you, bastard spiders from my house I would.

nunkspugget · 07/01/2015 12:46

So, taxi....you don't do Halloween then?

katrina81 · 07/01/2015 12:46

YANBU I would not have allowed either, something about ouija boards terrifies me.

KingJoffreyObviouslyWatchesHol · 07/01/2015 12:47

I've used a ouija board many times, used to own one.

Nothing ever happened. Nothing.

I'm pretty sure they're harmless.

ReallyTired · 07/01/2015 12:48

You guests should have the manners not to play a game you don't like. If you wanted ban them from playing strip poker you don't need to justify yourself or give reasons.

Your house, your rules.

babbityann · 07/01/2015 12:50

How do you mean 'nothing ever happened' KingJoffrey? As in no 'dead ' people were contacted or nothing frightening happened?

NeedABumChange · 07/01/2015 12:56

YABU and a bit ridiculous really.

KingJoffreyObviouslyWatchesHol · 07/01/2015 13:00

Nothing happened.

We put our fingers on the glass, tried to summon some spirits and the glass didn't move. Nada.

babbityann · 07/01/2015 13:02

That's funny!
Keep trying!

nunkspugget · 07/01/2015 13:03

Kingjoffrey, may I suggest putting a big spider under the glass. Thus helping the trapped ghost to channel it's thoughts through the spider and pushing the glass to the letters.

357686312646216567629 · 07/01/2015 13:05

I'm completely non woo and don't believe in anything remotely woo'ish but there is something I dislike about ouiji boards that would make me not want to have them around. I think it's because they can be scarey for some people and can be used to manipulate some people. I find them unpleasant in the same way I find 'mediums' unpleasant.

Anything that perpetuates such backward thinking is unwelcome.

I don't mind Halloweeny type of things or even scarey movies as they are not pushed as being real and are just for fun.

I'm not sure my argument is 100% rational though Confused

OP YANBU Smile

ElsieMc · 07/01/2015 13:05

YANBU. My perfectly reasonable friend always insists the use of a ouija board at her parents' house unleashed something in their home and they regularly heard slamming doors and banging noises in the attic in their listed building home. Probably a total coincidence I know, but she truly believes this and moved out not long afterwards.

You are right to say no as it this is the occult, a controversial subject and which they should have checked with you about beforehand.

KingJoffreyObviouslyWatchesHol · 07/01/2015 13:06

Big spider under a shot glass?

That would release more than spirits... I'd be fecking terrified!

flamingtoaster · 07/01/2015 13:08

YANBU When I was a teenager some friends of mine decided to use one. They ended up very scared and swore they would never do it again - it was not helped by the cat sitting on the backyard wall crying while they were doing it.

Your home, your rules - and I certainly wouldn't allow it in my house. Some things are best left alone... just in case.

nunkspugget · 07/01/2015 13:10

I once painted letters on the shells of snails, summoned me some spirits, and guess what! They spelled out 'bullshit'. True story.

RumbelowSale · 07/01/2015 13:14

No, and I don't quite know whyConfused....something heard about messages from restless spirits not being 'filtered' through a medium, something like that?

But that in itself seems nonsense to me - and I'm writing this bloody drivelGrin

But no, I wouldn't allow it in mine, nor would I want to go anywhere else to take part.

So, no, I don't think you're being unreasonable cos you think like me, and I'm the most reasonable person I knowWink

BreconBeBuggered · 07/01/2015 13:18

I'd have done the same, OP, for the same reasons others have mentioned, ie a reluctance to meddle with the occult, just in case, even though I don't believe in it.

If I had my way I'd ban fecking Monopoly as well. I bloody hate it.

Screwballscrambled · 07/01/2015 13:20

Wether I believe in it is besides the point.

In my house it's my rules! I follow others rules in their house.

Be that take your shoes off before you come in or don't summon the fucking dead is besides the point, rules are rules Grin

hoobypickypicky · 07/01/2015 13:28

"So you embarrassed your guests, implying they were deviants to want to play a game, because you think an upturned shot glass had a ghost under it!?"

IME if a guest has to ask if they may do something in their host's home there's a reasonable chance that they know that the host won't like it - so they probably shouldn't be embarrassing the host by asking. Even if that's not the case, if you ask permission for something in someone else's home you need to be grown-up enough to accept the answer no.
I'm a cynical sceptic. I would have said no. There's nothing wrong with declining permission for any activity in your own home.

hoobypickypicky · 07/01/2015 13:30

"In my house it's my rules! I follow others rules in their house.

Be that take your shoes off before you come in or don't summon the fucking dead is besides the point, rules are rules"

That's what I was trying to say!

nunkspugget · 07/01/2015 13:36

I ask to use the toilet.....its manners. If they said no to a perfectly innane request, I'd think they were twats. IMO, its attention seeking drama.....all this 'noooooo, ghosts might come out' rubbish. Being scared of ghosts makes you look like a child. Id never ask a guest not to pray in my house, even though I find the idea of god laughable.

Icimoi · 07/01/2015 13:39

YABU to be scared of a bit of board. There are no such things as ghosts and spirits, and even if the dead did want to communicate with us (which they don't), for sure they wouldn't wait around for someone to start messing about with a board to do so.

However, you're obviously perfectly reasonable to say what you do or do not want to happen in your house. If someone asked me, I would say no - primarily because it's a pointless, childish waste of time, but also in case any of my other guests might be upset by it.

WinterShivers · 07/01/2015 13:39

YANBU I wouldn't even let one of those boards in my house Angry but then again I'm the biggest "wuss" Blush

LettuceAndPotatoes · 07/01/2015 13:42

YANBU, no way would I have one in my home.

dustarr73 · 07/01/2015 13:48

I did one years ago,never again.It was horrible.Dont mess with things you dont understand.