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[–]Telekineticism 73 points74 points ago

For those making comments about Will Smith himself and not this tweet, well... see this.

[–]MrMadcap 5 points6 points ago

Disappointed.

[–]snailwithmonocle 1 point2 points ago

It actually is his. He just does that so he can say whatever he want.

[–]TerryArchi 1 point2 points ago

The avatar did seem like a googled picture

[–]future203 4 points5 points ago

Oh yes, thanks for helping me decide weather to not upvote this or to downvote this.

[–]Nowyouraman 1 point2 points ago

It's funny that you posted that because if it wasn't really him then why did the voice in my head sound exactly like him when I read it?

[–]GastonBastardo 0 points1 point ago

That, and the real Will Smith happens to be a Scientologist.

[–]Hero-in-a-halfshell 102 points103 points ago

...said the Scientologist...

[–][deleted] 29 points30 points ago

He's not a scientologist:

"I am a Christian. I am a student of all religions, and I respect all people and all paths." Smith gave $1.3 million to charities in 2007, of which $450,000 went to two Christian ministries, and $122,500 went to three Scientology organizations; the remaining beneficiaries included "a Los Angeles mosque, other Christian-based schools and churches, and [...] the Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Center in Israel"

[–]deathcat 39 points40 points ago

He's pretty generous to Scientology for not being a Scientologist.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/19/will-smith-donates-70000-_n_292252.html

[–]rahtin 24 points25 points ago

Keeps him on the A-List.

[–]spinozasrobot 16 points17 points ago

Pascal's Wager and all that.

[–]bleedingheartsurgery 0 points1 point ago

hollywood makes you crazy and all that, ...too

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

You'll notice in my first post I quoted:

Smith gave $1.3 million to charities in 2007, of which $450,000 went to two Christian ministries, and $122,500 went to three Scientology organizations; the remaining beneficiaries included "a Los Angeles mosque, other Christian-based schools and churches, and [...] the Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Center in Israel"

The Christians got 3.5+ times as much the scientologists. That's not an insignificant figure. As well, there were only two christian groups opposed to the three scientology ones, additionally another 700,000 went to the mosque, other schools and churches etc.

[–]servohahn 4 points5 points ago

Christianity and Scientology aren't necessarily incompatible. In fact, I'm willing to bet, the more money you have, the more compatible these two belief systems are.

That's the thing about belief systems. They're whatever you believe they are...

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

Belief in Xenu and Thetans and Jesus and Yaweh are quite incompatible... it doesn't matter if you call yourself a Christian if you accept another deity or supernatural being according the rules of the church you are not a Christian.

[–]yourfaceyourass 18 points19 points ago

Not really any better =/

[–]cooperiswatching 2 points3 points ago

Makes him much worse IMHO.

[–]oldmoneey -3 points-2 points ago

Yeah! Charity is good and all, unless there's RELIGION involved!

[–]UnknownArchive 8 points9 points ago

You seem to think scientology does anything positive for anyone.

[–]westborn 0 points1 point ago

As much as I dislike scientology, they do at least maintain a disaster relief team that does seem to be pretty active.

Not that it makes a huge notch in the negative karma they've stockpiled and even if it's maintained just for leagal or PR reasons, tries to do missionary work or offer complimentary thetan tests at the same time, it still does something positive for somebody.

[–]oldmoneey 0 points1 point ago

Okay... Maybe Scientology can go fuck itself...

But I see nothing wrong with Christian charities.

[–]Hero-in-a-halfshell 4 points5 points ago

Woah, I had a total misconception! Thanks for the correction, I'll leave my other comment up in it's original form so that others may be educated. Thanks!

[–][deleted] -1 points0 points ago

i admire you taking him at his word, but you must see how he wouldn't want to be publicly identified as a scientologist after the Cruise stuff.

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

So you think he donated 1.3 million to Jewish, Islamic and other centres of learning as a cover to hide his religion?

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

no, but i think it can help to be associated with scientology as an actor, even if you aren't one. spreading donations around is probably for tax reasons, as well as potentially covering the significance of any specific donation. i do think he's clever enough to know scientology isn't the most popular thing worldwide, but i accept he is, or at least sees himself as a christian, as you said in your other quote.

[–]newwin -2 points-1 points ago

Yeah he actually is a scientologist.

[–]dakta 2 points3 points ago

Actually, that's not really Will Smith's account.

This is Will Smith's account.

[–]CrazyBluePrime 9 points10 points ago

...I have no idea why anyone would take this advice.

[–]sndzag1 0 points1 point ago

Can you explain what you mean by that? I can see how it can be misinterpreted (and warped for use on both sides of the church vs. science arguments), but I believe it was originally referring to people spreading beliefs they themselves can not back up with any evidence.

If someone tells you -- for example -- a warlord in Africa is killing people, do research on it, read the research that exists, and come to a conclusion, before spouting off the horrors of it and claiming to know how to fix it. Be informed on what you promote. It's good advice.

[–]dakta 0 points1 point ago

[–]sndzag1 0 points1 point ago

Oh, I was just talking about the advice itself -- not who was saying it.

[–]CrazyBluePrime 0 points1 point ago

I'd pity someone trying to tell me this to have me stop discussing a topic, because their method of understanding the world appears to be quite limited. There are many things that we take as a given without having to test for ourselves, but that does not mean that it's poor information, we just have to understand what the evidence and methodology that was used and portion our acceptance of that information with the support that it has.

[–]HaggarShoes 2 points3 points ago

Empiricism. Fuck yeah! Oh wait...

[–]googleitduh 5 points6 points ago

The twitter account is a parody.

[–]Kikwit -2 points-1 points ago

Let the hive-mind do it's thing man. Don't make it wierd.

[–]LupeFiascoStoleMyHat 9 points10 points ago

He's just showing off because he can hear things on other planets with those bloody great jug ears.

[–]googleitduh 1 point2 points ago

I think this is in reference to the recent rumors of him being gay.

[–]Kryptonik23 1 point2 points ago

Man Will Smith is awesome

[–]wahwahwildcat 1 point2 points ago

I don't have the slightest idea of what this means, anyone wanna take a stab?

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points ago

I think this comment was in response to the tabloids saying him and JP Smith are getting a divorce...

[–]HoochCow 1 point2 points ago

The funny thing here is that Will Smith is a Christian who respects Scientology as a religion and way of life but doesn't follow it (although according to his Wikipedia page he has donated money to it)

[–]TheDobligator 1 point2 points ago

I wish I could super-upvote. Will Smith is a smart man.

[–]Justavian 1 point2 points ago

Eyewitness testimony is the least reliable form of evidence.

I appreciate his sentiment, though...

[–]PivotalPlatypus 1 point2 points ago

Sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel-air, dun da dada dun dun.....

[–]ramkahen 2 points3 points ago

This is an incredibly naive statement.

Believing in things you didn't witness is a pretty universal concept for both science and superstition proponents.

<insert Jackie Chan meme here>

[–]robak69 3 points4 points ago

this is the shittiest advice ever. what about stuff in textbooks. or, i dont know regular books that we need to learn from. will smith confirmed for just another stupid actor.

[–]Epicaq 0 points1 point ago

Mudit Bansal speaks the truth! :p

[–]duganaok 0 points1 point ago

There goes art

[–]0mniscient 0 points1 point ago

How did this shit even make it to the front page?

[–]ugolino91 0 points1 point ago

I wonder if he realizes that this also applies to scientology?

[–]djivan 0 points1 point ago

Don't under estimate the mind.

[–]thisguy95 0 points1 point ago

So basically dont have trust anything you didnt see you hear first hand. Sounds really great thought Will Smith.

So basically anything that is thought up conceptually and you didnt see or hear just blatently disregard. Eery major scientific theory out there, poof...gone.

[–]OjosAzules 0 points1 point ago

Why would he donate to any religion. They are all huge businesses with tons of money in them. I'm sure there was a more needy group that would have really needed it

[–]mrlint 0 points1 point ago

Electron Microscopy would like to have a word.

[–]maximm 0 points1 point ago

isn't that idiot a scientologist?

[–]Slotos 0 points1 point ago

One of the worst arguments for skeptical outlook ever. Human hearing and eyesight are so worthless in a process of knowing the world that relying on them is like saying "hey, it worked for my ancestors".

[–]Hop-Froggystyle 0 points1 point ago

Judging by these comments, Will Smith tried to jump the shark but got eaten by it. Damn Reddit, you scary!

[–]Ohherropreaseee 0 points1 point ago

95% of Redditors are stupid as fuuuuck. You guys fall for the people who say they found whatever animal cold and starving outside, the fake text message conversations, fake facebook posts, and lately the parody Twitter accounts.

[–][deleted] 2 points3 points ago

It's not that we "fall for it" as much as we are entertained by it. Would you say a person that watches House is stupid because they cried when Kumar blew his head off? You know it's not real, but you like to be entertained so you engage it.

[–]bleedingheartsurgery 2 points3 points ago

yeah, plus screaming FAKE every five minutes starts to smell like youtube comments

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

But if I have experienced something unusual, please tell me how its impossible.

[–]greendabre 2 points3 points ago

Because our mind plays tricks on us. You are responsible for scientifically analyzing every experience that is beyond the natural. Eventually, you will come to realize that your brain just tricked you, or it was pure coincidence.

Every claim requires evidence, and personal experience does not count as evidence. Sorry.

[–][deleted] ago

[deleted]

[–]dieselmachine 4 points5 points ago

But if you weren't lazy, you could google footage of nuclear tests, which would mean seeing it with your own eyes. In this case, the only limiting factor is the lack of effort you put into it, not the complete absence of any sort of evidence whatsoever, which I think is more what he was getting at.

[–]colbertian 3 points4 points ago

You've seen evidence that the atom bomb exists.

[–][deleted] -2 points-1 points ago

You misunderstand what I'm trying to say.

[–]colbertian 0 points1 point ago

What are you trying to say?

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

Just that there are things that most people will not see directly with their naked eyes but we know exist.

[–]colbertian -2 points-1 points ago

Your own eyes can see evidence of an atom bomb

[–]ffca -2 points-1 points ago

I find this quote quite relevant and poignant:

My father couldn't understand how I could believe in a God that I can't see, hear, or touch. But I pointed out that I can't see, hear, or touch an atom either, but I believe it exists.

-Steve Urkel

[–]sndzag1 2 points3 points ago

But that's also not true. We have images of atoms now.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point ago

This is true, we also can change the state of matter atoms are in and observe repeatable, visible effects.

Also atoms are real and you're touching them right now.

[–]MiggyEvans 0 points1 point ago

In other words "Anecodatal Evidence and Personal Experience are what matter most"

[–]Mishahh 0 points1 point ago

what a beautiful chocolate man.

[–]HungarianFever 0 points1 point ago

That was close...I almost gave up some karma. Smith is a Scientologist.

[–]TheRPGAddict 0 points1 point ago

Isn't he a scientologist?

[–]CaNANDian -1 points0 points ago

"small mind"

ok...

[–]rushiku -1 points0 points ago

So, The Fresh Prince doesn't want Limbaugh playing his music either?

[–]HeWhoPunchesFish -2 points-1 points ago

TIL WILL SMITH IS LITERALLY SO BRAVE, HE SHOULD DO AN AMA

WILL SMITH/RON PAUL 2012

[–]mrburnz -2 points-1 points ago

Sounds Buddhist.