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‘Tom Cruise is their Messiah’: TV star spills Scientology secrets

Tom Cruise (with ex-wife Katie Holmes) is a highly valued member of Scientology.

Tom Cruise (with ex-wife Katie Holmes) is a highly valued member of Scientology. Photo: Getty

American television actress Leah Remini has shared details of her time as a disciple of controversial religion Scientology in a no-holds-barred online Q&A session.

Leah Remini has dropped several bombshells about her time in the Church of Scientology. Photo: Getty

Leah Remini has dropped several bombshells about her time in the Church of Scientology. Photo: Getty

Remini, who left the church in 2013, told users on internet forum Reddit that well-known Scientologist Tom Cruise is regarded as a Messiah, children are treated like adults and members are expected to contribute large sums of money to the cause.

The 46-year-old spoke out in an ‘Ask Me Anything‘ session, inviting users to submit questions about the 43 years she spent following the beliefs of the late American science fiction author L Ron Hubbard.

Asked whether the church’s most famous member, Cruise, was considered a “Messiah”, Remini responded: “To the ‘Church’, yes. Parishioners believe he is singlehandedly changing the planet because that’s what the ‘Church’ is telling them.”

The question and her response have since been deleted.

The actress, best known for her role in US sitcom The King of Queens, has said she began questioning her commitment to the religion at the 2006 wedding of Cruise and his now ex-wife Katie Holmes.

“I felt alone. If you ever confided in friends then you were reported and turned in. Very 1984, very George Orwell,” Remini wrote of how she dealt with her growing doubts.

Since leaving the church, Remini has been excommunicated and publicly discredited by remaining members.

“I am an SP [suppressive person],” Remini explained. “You are not allowed to be in contact with an SP. I would love to talk to my former friends and see my goddaughter.”

Asked how much money she had contributed to the organisation throughout her lifetime, Remini simply said: “Millions.”

She later added that members were required to pay “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to access the church’s higher levels.

Celebrities receive special treatment

Remini said it was a misconception there were a lot of celebrity Scientologists.

“I think Scientology has done an amazing job convincing people that there is a great number of celebrities in the ‘Church’,” Remini said.

kate ceberano

Australian singer Kate Ceberano is a Scientology member. Photo: Getty

“Most Scientologists are 2nd or 3rd generation, they were born and raised into an ideology and have been surrounded and isolated. It is all they know. They are victims.”

Still, Remini said famous members – rumoured to also include John Travolta, Kate Ceberano, Elisabeth Moss and Kirstie Alley – received special perks that non-celebrity members did not.

“We had special course rooms in separate parts of the buildings. Any complaint we had about the outside world was met with agreement from the ‘Church’,” Remini explained.

“Often times there were Sea Org members working for celebrities in their homes … I know of one celeb who had a sea org member working in their home and sea org members were averaging $25/week.”

The Sea Org is an order of the church comprised of its most dedicated members.

“The labor laws don’t apply to any church therefore they were made to work ungodly hours, forced into interrogations if making human mistakes around the celebrity.”

‘Children are treated as adults’

David Miscavige

Scientology leader David Miscavige. Photo: Getty

Other revelations from the Q&A included that the church treats children “as old spirits in little bodies who have returned to Scientology … children are treated as adults”.

Users also asked Remini about the location of Shelly Miscavige, the wife of Scientology leader David Miscavige, who disappeared from the public eye in 2007. In 2013, Remini filed a missing persons report for Shelly.

“I actually do not know. Ask the LAPD,” Remini responded.

‘Tom wanted me to squash the story’

katie holmes tom cruise

The church often tried to protect its supporters from being attacked in the media, including Tom Cruise’s ex-wife Katie Holmes (left). Photo: Getty

In a separate interview, Remini revealed the church regularly interfered in her professional life.

“They [the church] wanted us to take out a reference to Katie Holmes [in The King of Queens],” she told The Hollywood Reporter.

“It was just a reference to her name but this was when she was in good graces with the church. Of course they’d have no problem with that once you leave – they’ll try to destroy you and your family.

“Another time, I got pressure to call Les Moonves at CBS to try and get a 60 Minutes report squashed. I got a call from the church and Tom to call [CBS CEO] Les Moonves and use my influence to squash the story.”

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