Commentary by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
A new game is sweeping through the halls of teendom that involves the use of pencils which are used to communicate with the spirit of a child known as “Charlie”.
The Telegraph is reporting on the latest occult fad gripping the teen world. Known as the “Pencil Game” or the “Charlie, Charlie Challenge”, teens are instructed to arrange pencils in a certain configuration in order to communicate with a dead child known as “Charlie”.
Said to have its origins in Mexico, some versions of the game require two pencils to be laid on a piece of paper in the shape of a cross with the words “yes” and “no” written on the paper. The two players then repeat the phrase, “Charlie, Charlie can we play?” in order to summon the demon.
If Charlie decides to answer, he moves the pencils to indicate whether he’s in the mood for play or not. If he does want to “play”, participants can then ask questions which he answers by moving the pencils to either “yes” or “no”, similar to how a Ouija board works.
To end the game, both players must chant, “Charlie, Charlie, can we stop?” After the pencils move, both players must drop their pencils on the floor which they believe breaks contact with the spirit.
Teens who play the game report a variety of paranormal activities associated with it, such as hearing voices, sinister laughter, objects moving around, etc.
This website naively describes the game as “kind of like the spirit world version of a Magic 8 ball”. If only it was that innocent!
The fact that a game of this nature is even being played reveals the depth of the national naivete about the dangers of the occult. This is the unhealthy result of a combination of Hollywood’s vacuous portrayal of the satanic along with the absence of any sound teaching on the subject from the pulpit. These two factors have contributed to a nationwide state of illiteracy on the true nature of demons and how enormously dangerous they are.
How else can you explain the fact that players actually believe they can cut contact with these spirits just by dropping a few pencils on the floor – something any medium worth their salt would scoff at. There is no “okay, you can leave now” for these demons. Once you open the door, they’re in, and they stay until the person who extended the invitation specifically renounces them. Simply chanting “Charlie, Charlie can we stop?” does nothing more than make the players feel like they’ve ended the conversation – which they have, but only the kind that requires the use of pencils. Demons have a vast retinue of communication skills, such as invading one’s thoughts and dreams, causing disturbances between friends and family members, accidents, insomnia, depression, suicidal tendencies, etc. and will simply resort to one of these other means to continue the “conversation” with their newfound friends.
And what if Charlie says “no”, he doesn’t want to stop playing, which he has apparently been known to do. What then? As this tweet directs, “say a prayer and hope that you actually break contact with the spirit.”
As of this writing, there is an unconfirmed report of a letter sent by Father Stephen McCarthy to students attending Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti Catholic High School in Philadelphia, in which he warns youth to stay away from this game.
“There is a dangerous game going around on social media which openly encourages impressionable young people to summon demons. I want to remind you all there is no such thing as ‘innocently playing with demons’. Please be sure to NOT participate and encourage others to avoid participation as well. The problem with opening yourself up to demonic activity is that it opens a window of possibilities which is not easily closed.”
We can only hope that they heed his advice!
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