When Will Smith was being accused of having converted to Scientology just because he liked to hang out with Tom Cruise, that was unfair. But once he opened his new school that had some philosophies that were obviously Scientology influenced, the questions are fair game. At the Lakeview Terrace premiere last night, Will Smith said, for the millionth time, that he's not a Scientologist. He just, you know, likes some of the principles.

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Like any do-gooding multi-hundred-millionaire movie star, Hancock’s Will Smith is involved in the philanthropy scene. He’s also, as prying eyes have woefully pointed out, been involving himself with the Tom Cruise scene, which means of course that he’s basically a raving Scientologist, right? Back in 2004, Smith donated $20k to something called “HOPE: The Hollywood Education and Literacy Program,” which is the church’s “literary program,” where children get homeschooled and, we’re guessing, brainwashed in their formative years. Now, he and Jada have been plugging away at their New Village Academy, a private school they’re funding that will open in December, which got the LAT treatment over the weekend. Naturally, the first word out of the school’s mouth is that it is not a Scientology facility. (Even Will and Jada still insist they aren’t of the church.) But a certain anti-Scientology crusader is casting his eye of suspicion on this educational institution, mostly because of a … goat.

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You will look back on today’s momentous occasion – the one-for-the-history-books return of Tom Cruise to Oprah – and think of but one thing: Tom Cruise is a victim! Everybody has been out to get this cultist zealot, and all those jokes about him brainwashing Katie Holmes and inseminating her with L. Ron Hubbard’s semen have been entirely unfair to him and his family. It takes the power of Oprah to set the record straight, even if that’s where he shed his veil of normalcy to begin with. So let’s get to the defensive mechanisms:

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Will Smith rejects and denounces rumors that Tom Cruise has recruited him into Scientology's celebrity ranks.

"You don't have to be Jewish to be a friend of Steven Spielberg. You don't have to be a Muslim to be a friend of Muhammad Ali. And you don't have to be a Scientologist to be a friend of Tom Cruise," Smith tells us. "I am a Christian. I am a student of all religions. And I respect all people and all paths."

Is it against the tenets of Scientology to lie to the press? [NYDN]

Will Smith has crossed over to the dark side. Or the side of all that is truthful and mentally healthy. It depends on where you stand in the Scientology debate. According to Radar, the recruitment of Will and Jada Smith and possibly Kimora Lee Simmons is part of the church's attempt to recruit more blacks. Smith's rep vehemently denies the family has converted to Scientology, but "sources close to the star" say that it's true. Simmons' rep also denies the rumor.

In other Smith news, Dr. Dre sneakily showed Will Smith what he thought of him and his clean-rapping ways when he contributed the song "Bitch Niggaz" to Bad Boys 3. Not nice!

Evidence that Will Smith is knee-deep into Scientology keeps rolling in, and I continue to avoid coming to grips with what is likely the truth about the Pinkett-Smith's religious affiliation. For instance, I'm sure there is a great explanation for this:

Big stars traditionally distribute "wrap presents" to crew members after completing a film. His recent gift after wrapping next summer's comedy "Hancock" was a card good for a personality test at your local Scientology center.

Fun!

Never mind that such tests are given free by the church anyway. The quiz is designed to convert people to the religion by identifying personality flaws that - surprise! - Scientology can fix right up for you.

For a fee, of course.

Maybe he lost a bet with Tom Cruise or something, and passing out the cards was his punishment? Totally plausible. [NYDN]