WIll Smith: "I Am Not" A Scientologist

Fox News ran into Will Smith this week, and asked him about Scientology:

This year, news broke that Will had funded a school in suburban Los Angeles that used one of Scientology's study programs. It seemed like Will and Jada were making a statement. But they didn't actually make a statement.

Monday night, I ran into Mr. and Mrs. Smith at the premiere of "Lakeview Terrace," which Will has produced with partner James Lassiter. Jada was there, too. And here's the thing about Will and Jada: they are immensely likable. They are incredibly gracious. Even when Will's overzealous security guard, the size of the Cleopatra column, attempted to block and neutralize me, Smith intervened quickly.

I told him I'd heard he'd given a press conference to the group called Anonymous, which protests Scientology.

"Not exactly a press conference, but I did talk to them," he said. Mind you, Will had just gone to the buffet and was carrying a plate of food. This was up at the swanky new Empire Hotel rooftop following the premiere of "Lakeview," which stars Samuel L. Jackson and Kerry Washington.

So, what's the story? Is Will a Scientologist? "I am not," he told me. The school is using one of Scientology's teaching tools, but Will said, "You can take different parts of things you like and put them all together."

That follows reports like these:
The school Smith founded teaching with Scientology
Smith defending Tom Cruise and his religion
Smith denying Scientology following in March
Smith supposedly distributing Scientology vouchers as a wrap gift
Smith told Men's Vogue that Scientology is like the Bible

Comments

[Kindheart]

Of all the educational philosophies there are, why choose Scientology? I honor them for opening a school, but find another way of teaching the students.

[NKR]

I hope they aren't Scientologists...it is a very dangerous "religion".

[usakaput]

AND SENATOR LARRY CRAIG IS NOT GAY.

[MarciL]

www.xenu.net

[neumann]

Duck...
Quack...

[RealityBaseCamp]

You can put denial on the obvious, but it's still the obvious . . .

[MikeCanada]

If one has to say "I am not....," that generally means that they are.

[MedinaM]

What? That makes no sense. If you are accused of something and you say "I am not..." then it makes you guilty of what you are accused of?

[maxwellinformed]

Who cares. All religions are a scam. Faith in something, anything, is real. But organized religion has been perverted for centuries.

[Tokhtamish]

Scientology is different.

There is nothing whatsoever in Scientology about love or compassion or charity or forgiveness. It is all about the right of "superior people" to prey upon others.

All religions are a scam ? The greatest civil rights movement in human history, the Abolitionist movement, came out of churches. Had Scientologists been around in 1830, they would have been arguing that Blacks were "repressive" and therefore deserved slavery.

[Ohg]

So what is wrong with being a Mormon Scientologist? ...................
http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/01/16/mormon-scientologists-for-jehovah-on-the-7th-day/

[InternationalObserver]

But what about Jada?

[ThinkForYourself2]

It's a bit off topic but has anyone ever heard of the "Disclosure Project"? If you haven't I highly recommend you learn about it because the idea of aliens won't be so crazy after you've viewed this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vyVe-6YdUk

http://www.disclosureproject.org

[anghiari]

Actually Mattie it's not an odd thing to say...culturally all of the things that normally attract people to seek to find themselves in a religion like Scientology are not the issues facing most blacks. Reality grounds most black folks, so the angst about giving one's life meaning isn't high on the list . Clearly this is a generalization and I have no doubt you will find some blacks involved in Scientology...just not Will Smith. P.S. Paul Mooney is a very dear and old friend.

[GayTalkExpress]

Mr. Smith really seems to be an earnest, good guy. I don't think he had any idea how bad the cult really is. All the Scientologists he met probably didn't seem any weirder than any other celebrity he runs into at Gelson's or Nate n' Al's, so why would he have believed the rantings of the critics online? Surely those critics must be nuts . . . right? Ruh roh. Turns out Miscavige and Co. are worse than he could have ever imagined and it was starting to look like he's supporting the cult (guilt through association), now it's time for damage control. Watch for the distancing to continue apace. And as for Hubbard and his beliefs, here they are straight from the horses, er, mouth . . . http://vimeo.com/1227000

[cutter]

no comment

[useyourbrain]

It's true, you can be a closeted gay/bi actor in Hollywood without being a scientologist. If it wasn't then scientology would have about 50,000 more Hollywood members (I forgot the extras and the wanna bees and has was's).

[NoSillyName]

Wow, he tells us that every couple of months. Doth the gentleman protest too much?

[Calinative]

Look out, Will.
They'll send the Lawyers of Xenu after you for saying that.