From viewing the blurb on my Yahoo homepage today, I see that Will Smith's blockbuster I Am Legend is enjoying the largest December box office opening ever--until next December, I'm sure. In the run up to the premiere, Smith was the focus of several interviews, among them an especially memorable one conducted by Access Hollywood.
In it, Smith came off as a well-spoken, intelligent actor in no way reminiscent of his self-titled Fresh Prince character from his youth. Following the recap of his illustrious career, AH got around to asking him about his personal life, delving into such incidentals as his high school memories, his relationship with his father, and--of all things--his views on Tom Cruise's always-scandalous devotion to Scientology.
Smith defended Cruise, who is a good friend of Smith's and an overall "great spirit." How heartwarming. He went on to appeal to man's right to determine his own beliefs, which, according to him, are all the more valid for being the more insane. Here's the central quote:
"How can I condemn someone for what they believe and I believe that God was born from a pregnant virgin?"
According to Will Smith, then, the criterion for faith is not, say, the revealed word of God, but rather the sheer absurdity of the premises upon which beliefs are built. He attempts to demean the integrity of his own admitted Christian faith in order to buoy the outlandish assertions of a cult in direct opposition to that faith.
But then, what is the content of Smith's own "Christian" belief? He gives us a brief peek into his background:
"I was introduced [to Scientology] by Tom and I’m a student of world religion. I was raised in a Baptist household, I went to a Catholic school, but the ideas of the Bible are 98 percent the same ideas of Scientology, 98 percent the same ideas of Hinduism and Buddhism."
Why, he's some sort of religious cosmopolitan, isn't he? And so profound. Obviously, he must know what he's talking about. Just look at his credentials. Who else but a true humanitarian and champion of tolerance could possibly recite such beautiful platitudes?
I'm especially impressed by his specificity. He sheds quite a bit of insight onto those vast and obscure "ideas of the Bible", doesn't he? It can be so hard to keep track of them all, but let's see what we can pull up to forefront of our wearied minds. Here's an idea:
"All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." (Matthew 11:27)
Actually, wait, no, that's the wrong one. That's too specific, and it puts a crimp on Will's point. I guess the part of Christianity that has to do with Christ must fall under that 2%, huh?
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Christianity in the Media Recap 1: What would they have us believe?
- All religions are one.
- Men should believe whatever suits them them best.
- Christianity is not significantly different from Scientology, Hinduism, or Buddhism.
- To criticize a belief system in opposition to Christianity is ignorant.
- Strange doctrines are valid since Christian beliefs are equally bizarre; or, conversely
- Both the beliefs of cults and the beliefs are Christianity are unbelievable.
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