With the vast majority of paranormal research groups using roughly the same tools, tactics, and
standards of evidence, we would like to explain, in better detail, the way we operate.
First of all, we do not have a shred of evidence of the existence
of ghosts. We have never claimed to have this type of evidence. We refer to anomalies as such and only label them as
"possible evidence" meaning that something we have documented may be of paranormal origin, but we cannot validate
that at this point in time.
Secondly, although we claim to be credible, we realize that we are not perfect. To ensure that we are investigating
the paranormal in the most responsible way that we can, we often scrutinize our own tactics and take corrective measures when
we find we are doing something that may compromise our mission. Therefore...
1) Electronic
Voice Phenomena. In the past, we have referred to audio anomalies as E.V.P.s. , which we now realize requires
the assumption that we have enough knowledge about such a phenomena to label it as being of an electronic, and paranormal
nature. We DO NOT have that knowledge or evidence thereof. Therefore, we no longer search for, or refer to audio anomalies
as E.V.P's. Please be advised that while some of our literature and video logs refer to this type of phenomena,
they were documented and released prior to our new directives on the collection of audio phenomena.
We do, however,
still record for audio phenomena with the use of Digital Voice Recorders as well the microphones of our video equipment.
A large percentage of paranormal claims are of an audible nature which is why we still collect audio samples during our investigations
with the hopes of capturing such phenomena. We simply refer to them as what they are - anomalies.
Nearly one hundred
percent of paranormal research groups openly accept Electronic Voice Phenomena theories as dogma. There are a dozen
different ways to gloss around the obvious questions that challenge this phenomenon and ghost hunters have a knack for using
them all while injecting a requirement for a willing suspension of disbelief into every bit of evidence they produce
in order for their theories to hold water. Credible Paranormal does not operate in such a manner.
1A) More About Audio
Anomalies - Through our research, we have come to realize
that Digital Voice
Recorders produce a lot of the anomalies that people refer to as Electronic Voice Phenomena. In the beginning, we ended
up with a lot of unusual things on audio that went unheard by the human ear such as whispers, whistles, grunts, groans,
belches, farts, and hacking sounds. We had a pretty good collection of possible evidence forming, but as we had investigation
after investigation, we would document the same or similar sounds from entirely different locations.
Furthermore, the
more we learn about audio analysis, the better we are at rationally explaining seemingly paranormal audio. As a result, we
have decided to raise the bar on audio evidence by discounting various anomalies that we know are not paranormal, or leave
a lot to the imagination. So we no longer accept...
- Whispers
- Whistling
Sounds
- One Syllable Words
- Uninteligible Responses
- Anomalies that are not backed up by a secondary recording device
- Hacking, coughing, sneezing, as these can all be produced by a combination of electronic
issues combined with environmental variables.
2) Photographs As Evidence - We have never taken a single
photograph that contains evidence of a ghost. In this day and age, a photograph of a ghost would never hold water.
The average fifth grader could produce a seemingly realistic photograph of the common conception of what a ghost is believed
to look like.
Furthermore, the most commonly presented type of paranormal evidences are photographic anomalies such as orbs, mists,
and "ribbon energies" , all of which are fake or naturally occurring phenomena that Credible Paranormal can
easily tear apart and reproduce a thousand times over.
Credible Paranormal does, however, employ the use of still-photography to document the environment.
When we enter an investigation site, our first order of business is to photograph every square inch of that location so that,
in the event that we think an object may have manipulated or moved, we can refer back to those photographs to verify if the
object has indeed moved or not. And other than having a few photographs of the team members for the website, that is the only
reason we take photographs on an investigation.
3) What We Look For - Most "ghost hunters" will enter into an investigation
where certain types of paranormal claims have been made, yet they present supposed evidence, such as the orb, that is
entirely unrelated to the claims they were investigating in the first place.
Credible paranormal enters an investigation to either explain or document evidence of the actual claims being presented.
If someone claims to see an apparition in their bathroom every Thursday, we will attempt to document that apparition in the
bathroom on Thursday. This type of investigating just makes sense and can be respected, even by the skeptic.
As well, people who believe they are experiencing something paranormal should have an alternative to the Dust Chasers when
it comes to finding a team to investigate their claims. Credible Paranormal is one of those few alternatives.
3) Use Of An EMF Meter - Most paranormal investigative groups use an Electromagnetic
Field Meter to either locate or validate paranormal activity. Credible Paranormal has, in the past, used the meter to
attempt to do the same. However, we have absolutely no evidence that this tactic can be used to locate this type of activity,
or validate paranormal happenings. We now use the E.M.F. Meter on our investigations as a debunking tool only. Some
studies have shown that low level Electromagnetic Fields can cause health effects such as headaches, dizziness, and fatigue,
many of which could be perceived as being paranormal in nature. We use a Micro Tesla meter to locate sources of
high electromagnetic radiation.
4) Going Dark- Most Ghost Hunters conduct their investigations in the dark.
There are a number of theories tossed around to justify why they do this. We feel that, in most cases, investigative
groups do this to heighten the fear factor of the investigation site so that seemingly paranormal things will occur. When
deprived of our most trusted sense, our eye sight, the rest of our senses are heightened to help protect us from the
things we can no longer see, harking back to a time when we had to protect ourselves from predators in the darkness. As a
result, whenever an investigative team "goes dark", every creak of a floor board or a gust of cool air becomes a
potential ghost to the investigator.
Credible Paranormal feels that we should
best recreate the conditions that were present at the time that the supposed paranormal experience took place.
Most claims of paranormal experiences occurr during the daylight hours while people are going about their daily routines,
so many of our investigations are conducted with the lights on. If an experience occurred during late-night hours or
with the lights off, then we conduct our investigation to match those conditions. It is not uncommon for our
investigations to start in the morning hours and stretch passed midnight so that we can accomodate multiple conditions as
they relate to the claims of our client.
5) Regarding existing theories - There are a hundred different theories about
the paranormal as it relates to the existence of ghosts, that exist today amongst the paranormal research community,
the vast majority of which, do not hold water or have to be taken with a grain of salt. Credible Paranormal does not
recognize any theories outside of our own experiences. We founded this organization in a re-set mode where all existing
theories are tossed out so that we can base our understanding of the paranormal on the evidence that we, and we alone collect.
This does not mean that we are not open to considering theories presented to us outside of our organization. It simply means
that we will not present second-hand theories to others or to our clients that have not been based on our data and
experience.
6) The Skeptical Community - The Paranormal Research Community and the
organized Skeptical Community have been mortal enemies for a long time, each doing what they can to discredit the other.
We at Credible Paranormal realize that paranormal research will never advance as long as this paradigm persists. We
also relalize that no group of paranormal investigators will ever prove the existence of ghosts. Only main-stream science
can do this. The paranormal investigators role should be focused on convincing the opposition that there exists phenomena
that is worthy of study, and then let them carry the ball to an eventual conclusion. Therefore, we aspire to work
closely with the organized skeptical community and view them as a valuable source of protocol as well as the target audience
for any evidence of things above the normal that we might collect.
Therefore, we
welcome contact by any and all representatives of the skeptical and main-stream scientific communities for the purposes of
finding a common ground, and exchanging ideas.