Blog: Judgment - 2012-12-27

Judgment December 27, 2012, Marty Rathbun, Moving On Up a Little Higher

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Unfortunately, a judgmental attitude and bearing seems to have become one of the distinguishing characteristics of a Scientologist. While adopting such a view in itself could be considered stereotyping, the proclivity for sitting in judgment of others – and stereotyping them - may be the one character flaw that makes such labeling stick with Scientologists.

Labeling is a convenient form of denialism. It is something a person resorts to when that which he or she is confronting or dealing with is too complex or nuanced for easy explanation or understanding. In the case of Scientologists such denialism is all too often applied to people. It is an assignation of blame intended to bring about shame and regret in the target.

It is easy to write someone off as an "SP" or 'suppressive person', a 'pts' or 'potential trouble source', an 'out-ethics type', 'reasonable', 'off Source', or even 'squirrel'. Once you do that, the labeled person is now 'over there', a 'particle' to be routed to some 'terminal' (not even a person really) for special 'handling.' The only way out for the labeled is conformance. In the case of Scientologists that conformance is usually demonstrated by performing labeling of others with a high degree of certainty and alacrity.