Boredom over a long holiday weekend makes people do some stupid things. Ditching more constructive activities, young people have proven their addiction to exhibitionism by participating in a half-baked, demon-summoning social media challenge “ Charlie Charlie .”
Reddit users tried to lend some credibility to the dubious Mexican roots of this Twitter sensation. As far as anyone can tell, the anonymous people responsible for the Charlie Charlie Challenge pilfered it from one of a couple websites.
Originally, Charlie Charlie was called “ The Pencil Game ,” which its author calls “the spirit world version of a Magic 8 Ball.” There is a six-pencil version and then the two pencil one inundating Twitter. In this one, two pencils are crossed over four squares. In each, the gullible participant writes “yes” and “no.”
And here’s the really brilliant step: Summon the demon by chanting “Charlie, Charlie, can we play?” If the pencils point toward yes, you ask Charlie questions. If no, you either consider yourself lucky and move on with your life, or you try again.
Oddly, adherents to the Charlie Charlie game believe the Mexican demon child to be helpful – they ask it for life advice and tips on dating, the Daily Record reported.
That’s an odd responsibility to entrust to a creature born from the depths of Hell.
When you’ve exhausted Charlie Charlie’s demonic wisdom, the game is ended by ordering “Charlie, Charlie can we stop.” Because we know all demons to be very polite, obedient types who would never dream of continuing to haunt and torment the souls of humans.
Apparently, some people have attested to some spooky results – even sending out warning like “they may seem friendly at first, but have sinister plans,” across the Twitter-sphere. Others have reported “hearing voices, things being moved, shadows, sinister laughing and more.”
Naturally, all this talk of Charlie Charlie has made Christians on Twitter a bit nervous, and they’ve taken the craze as an opportunity to talk about the Bible , Tech Radar added. Of course, these folks are urging caution and for young people to turn to Jesus Christ instead of some obscure Mexican hellion with mysterious origins and unknown intentions.
“ya’ll need Jesus” #charliecharliechallenge pic.twitter.com/OAdGlMaJMD
— sophielouise?? (@sofiefoster_) May 25, 2015
3 steps on the #charliecharliechallenge 1) 2 pencils and paper 2) grab a bible real quick 3) approximately page 47 4) copy down #jesus
— lexi (@lexilagss) May 25, 2015
y’all need to try the jesus jesus challenge #charliecharliechallenge
— t (@krispykreemee) May 25, 2015
Hopefully, this is all in good – yet rather pointless – fun. And whether Charlie Charlie is real or not, the apparent creators of the game warn others not to play it with kids who are prone to nightmares. Which may be good advice to adults as well. Even if the evil spirit isn’t a genuine entity, this may not be something to mess with – just in case.
It’s all fun and games until someone needs to call an exorcist.
[Photo Courtesy Vine]