Fiction suggestions needed for Jan./Feb. discussion

[President Camacho]

I got my Ouija board free with 3 months membership in Atheist American weekly magazine.

[Chris OConnor]

When I was a child my stepsister got out a Ouija board. I remember even back then being a skeptic and knowing that the Ouija board is a fraud and the only reason the thingy moves is because people were pushing it. Studies have proven this to be true.

Stahrwe, you don't consider Ouija boards to be evil or something to fear do you?

[stahrwe]

When I was a child my stepsister got out a Ouija board. I remember even back then being a skeptic and knowing that the Ouija board is a fraud and the only reason the thingy moves is because people were pushing it. Studies have proven this to be true.

Stahrwe, you don't consider Ouija boards to be evil or something to fear do you?

The board itself is not, but the idea of contacting the spirit world can have serious consequences. Whether real or imagined is not important. I suggest that you read what G. K. Chesterton had to say about them. His autobiography, at least the salient portion is available at Google Books.

[Chris OConnor]

I have no interest in reading what someone says about a non-existent "spiritual world."

[stahrwe]

I have no interest in reading what someone says about a non-existent "spiritual world."

You asked.

What does its existence or non-existence have to do with reading about it. It is not a subject which interests me but it interested Sir Arthur Conan Doyle so much so that he joined The British Society for Psychical Research. Other members at that time included; future Prime Minister Arthur Balfour, philosopher William James, naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace, scientists Williams Crookes and Oliver Lodge. Doyle became friends with Harry Houdini who was interested in contacting his dead wife but his experiences led him to become almost obsessed with exposing fakery.

http://www.siracd.com/life_spirit.shtml

[Chris OConnor]

...the idea of contacting the spirit world can have serious consequences.

How could there be serious consequences to this? If the spiritual world doesn't even exist isn't this like saying, "Attempting to make contact with the Easter Bunny can have serious consequences." It just doesn't follow.

The only way contacting the "spiritual world" could have serious consequences is for the person doing the imaginary contacting of the imaginary spiritual world to imagine that...heck, I cannot even continue this sentence. It's just silly.

[Suzanne]

Is this discussion going to lead to a book recomendation any time soon?

When my daughter was ten, she had a huge sleep over. One of her friends gave her a Ouija board, and of course, late at night, they started to play with it. A spirit emerged! Henry I think his name was. One of the girls, I’ll call her “A”, “brought” this spirit out, and needless to say, no one got any sleep for fear of “Henry”. "A" insisted that Henry was going to kill them all. This girl, “A” continued to talk about Henry for months after, she truly believed she had called up his spirit. She claimed to speak to him, and saw him routinely. At the end of the school year, death threats were written on the walls of the girls bathroom. Death threats against the girls that attended my daughter’s sleep over, including “A”. Police were called in, principles were involved, interrogations began. “A” claimed that Henry wrote the messages, however, “A” had a friend, who admitted that “A” herself wrote the death threats. Apparently “A” was having problems with Henry for a long time, before my daughter’s sleep over, and “A” was in therapy regarding her experiences with this spirit from beyond. “A” continued therapy, and her parents tried to sue me. Apparently, I set her behind in her progress and I was negligent in my supervision. I suppose I should have brought a priest over to my house and had it burned. So, yes, Ouija boards can be dangerous. To those how have mental problems, kooky kids, and there kooky parents.

“A” is a great kid now, she is in college and doing well. For a while after the incident she was ostracized by most of her friends, which is a shame. But I will admit, I forbade my daughter from inviting her to any more sleepovers!

[stahrwe]

...the idea of contacting the spirit world can have serious consequences.

How could there be serious consequences to this? If the spiritual world doesn't even exist isn't this like saying, "Attempting to make contact with the Easter Bunny can have serious consequences." It just doesn't follow.

The only way contacting the "spiritual world" could have serious consequences is for the person doing the imaginary contacting of the imaginary spiritual world to imagine that...heck, I cannot even continue this sentence. It's just silly.

I hate to hide behind a woman, but since Suzanne posted what she did I again suggest that you read Chesterton's experience. It won't cost you anything but time.

http://books.google.com/books?id=zlL35 ... ja&f=false

[Suzanne]

We really need to get back on track.

To those who do intend to participate in the next fiction discussion, please comment on the suggested books. Which ones would you like to read in January and February? Also, if you have any nominations, please post them soon.

[Chris OConnor]

Pilgrim's Progress sounds interesting, and it is available for free on the Kindle, but I personally struggle with that old style of English. After a chapter or two of trying to understand what I'm reading I have to go lay down and take a nap. Sometimes I cry a little.