Demons of Genealogy

   When I was in high school in the 70's, the big fad in my part of the globe was Ouija boards. My friends and I all had one, until my Mother, who bought the thing for me in the first place, decided they were dangerous and tossed mine out.  Which brings me to this post's subject.  

     I have come to the conclusion there is no earthly way to determine the origins of my great, great Grandfather James White.  After searching for years I am certain no obituary or news article holds the answer, I've found them all.  I am all but positive his parish in Ireland, whichever one it may have been, does not have records going back far enough to include his birth, there's nothing in his death certificate, so what's left?  I can't help wondering, wouldn't it be great to call Grandpa White on the Ouija board? 

     By the way, I'm not suggesting it would be a good idea for you to try this, good Lord, I don't want to be responsible for endangering someone else's immortal soul. 

     Upon googling Ouija boards, I found some really scary stuff about possessions and hauntings  supposedly linked to somebody fooling with one.  And while I don't remember being possessed by demons in high school, I'm pretty sure my Mother would disagree.  


     I've never seen anything linking genealogy and otherworldly intervention, and there are no message boards for supernatural family history.  I checked just to see if anyone else was thinking along those lines, (I still can't believe I'm the only one).  I also googled my go-to website in spiritual matters, Catholic Answers, which had this to say, "The Ouija board is far from harmless.  The fact of the matter is, the Ouija board really does work, and the only "spirits" that will be contacted through it are evil ones."

     Terrific, they tell me it works, then they tell me not to use it.  In the end, I don't really believe it would be a good idea or that anything useful would be gained from using one.  And to tell you the truth, the whole demonic possession thing kinda freaks me out.  Still, wouldn't it be great to ask Grandpa White where the heck he came from?