Watch out kittens, the Xenu is about to hit the fan.

Our friends over at Celebitchy got their hands on a juicy piece of gossip that involves Tom Cruise, the ‘church’ of Scientology, and four defectors of the religion who are now claiming that the church and its leaders (including Cruise himself) were both physically and psychologically abusive to its members.

The very detailed article at Celebitchy (read that by clicking here) is a summary of an even longer article done by ‘The St. Petersburg Times’ in Florida. For you though, I will use my expertise and my near decade of work with 13 year-olds to try and sum up what is going down.

According to reports, a man by the name of Marty Rathbun, who served as former “inspector general” of the church, was also in charge of Tom Cruise’s audit, or indoctrination into the church of Scientology. Since coming forward with his story of the “cult” (as he explained the church), he was served with a letter from Cruise’s management asking him to stop.

Via Celebitchy:

Dear Mr. Rathbun:

I represent Tom Cruise. Apparently you have repeatedly announced to the public that you were Tom’s “auditor” at the Church of Scientology, and you have used that announcement, including Tom’s name, on your website to promote your business or profession.

This is not only a serious invasion of Tom’s privacy and a violation of the priest-penitent relationship, it is the unauthorized use of Tom’s name to promote a business or professional venture, which is a clear violation of Tom’s common law and statutory rights.

Just imagine a Catholic Priest leaving the Church and then trying to drum up business as a lay-therapist by advertising that he had been Frank Sinatra’s confessor. Most people would consider that disgusting and reprehensible. Yet, what you are doing is exactly the same.

It just shouldn’t be done Mr. Rathbun. So please stop.

Sincerely,
Bertram Fields

As you can see, the letter pretty much confirms that Rathbun is truthful in the fact that he served as Cruise’s auditor.

Rathbun also claims that Scientology head David Miscaviage (who happened to stand up as Cruise’s best man in his wedding to Katie Holmes), physically abused several members of the organization on frequent occasions and also embarrassed and humiliated parishioners as well.

“Miscavige regularly physically beat the crap out of people working for him, threatened them, and subjected them to weeks of confinement. The culture of the organization involves abuse, fear and intimidation, according to these defectors, who also admitted having beaten staffers on Miscavige’s orders.”

Rathbun also admitted to committing acts of abuse under the orders of Miscaviage himself.

Rathbun continued to release the inner secrets of the organization by stating that it was Miscavige himself who was behind the firing of Cruise’s publicist (and had Cruise’s sister in line as a replacement and a PR nightmare for the actor), and that he also orchestrated Cruise’s divorce from actress Nicole Kidman.

“…Miscavige orchestrating the firing of Pat Kingsley and replacing her with Tom’s Scientologist sister so that Miscavige could manipulate Tom’s public discourse and censor Tom’s exposure to information concerning Miscavige’s human rights abuses.

The best evidence of that perjury is that in 2001 through 2003 Miscavige personally assigned me as Inspector General RTC – the second highest ecclesiastical position in the religion – to coordinate Tom’s divorce from Nicole and to serve as his auditor.”

Though Rathbun states that he never saw Cruise physically abuse anyone, he does acknowledge that he has counseled people who claim that they have been abused by the actor.

“I have also counseled people who were abused by Tom personally – in matters that eerily resemble the behavior of Miscavige – to give Tom the time to get educated and do the right thing which I have convinced them he ultimately will do.”

This is all pretty damning evidence against the Church of Scientology (not that we really needed anymore evidence that these people are a little off their rockers). However, it does bring into question whether or not Cruise is using his power and influence to control his wife, Katie Holmes, who often looks as though Xenu isn’t approving of her.

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Images Via: wenn.com