Do you consider some investigators and organizations so bias?

Question

that if you owned a haunted location, experienced something paranormal, or were able to demonstrate a psychic ability like ESP that you would not waste your time with allowing them to investigate or set up experiments?

What organizations would you go to or suggest that others go to to be examined fairly or in a scientific manner?

Answer 1

I have encountered locations that appeared to have paranomal activity occuring around them.  Everything from sounds (voices, sobbing, screams), to smells, to objects moving where there was no apparent external influence.  I never sought any professional investigations of these phenomenon, though a number of people, including "sensitives" did experience these phenomenon in these locations.  Some of the people who had these experiences had common images of what was causing these things to happen, without any previous knowledge of each other or even that the activity was occuring.

All of the paranomal investigation teams that I have encountered consist of amateur investigators who are trying to develop consistent methodologies to perform their investigations.  Some have little or no scientific knowledge and are most interested in finding proof of what they believe to be true.  Others are interested in using stringent investigative techniques to find physical reasons for the phenomenon, but are looking for events that they cannot explain by physical means.  Though the groups are made up of amateurs, some have very advanced methodologies and are extremely thorough in their investigations.  

As I said earlier, I haven't called on any of these groups to investigate the phenomenon that I encountered, but that is more due to the wide range of "expertise" in these groups and my lack of patience with sorting through the empty oysters to find the pearls.  Also, the groups I have encountered are focused on finding and documenting these phenomenon more than trying to resolve the issues that may be causing these things to happen.  Resolutions are much more important to me than proof that it's not all just a figment of somebodies imagination.

With regards to which organizations I would rate as fair and scientific in their investigations, the defunct PEAR Institute and their associates are considered to be some of the most fair minded and thorough organizations to have worked in the field.  In addition, the Rhine Research Center, that was originally associated with Duke University, is currently continuing their research with a stringent eye toward using the scientific method and accepted physical and psychological research techniques to search for and explain those phenomenon that are beyond normal scientific explainations.  I would recommend the Rhine Center unequivocally to anybody who wants a fair and honest evaluation of what they believe to be paranomal or extra-sensory in nature.  Great question Psi!

Answer 2

I have to be honest. I wouldn't want to be tested or interviewed. I guess I'm a little selfish, but it sounds like a lot of time and energy I could be using on other things.

So to answer the question, not only would investigators and organizations have to be very ethical and competent, they would have to convince me that they wouldn't be wasting my time. I somehow resist the idea of being a lab rat under interrogation.

Answer 3

I think any scientific organization not already predisposed to believing in paranormal or psi is likely to be more thorough in their testing and also more likely to be taken seriously when announcing their unusual findings. If I had something I could demonstrate, I'd probably start with the physics departments of local universities to see if they'd be interested in seeing for themselves.