Tom Cruise FINALLY Admits Scientology Played A Role In Katie Holmes Divorce: ‘There Is No Need To Protect My Daughter From My Religion,’ He Fights Back In Angry Deposition
Nov. 7 2013, Published 2:54 p.m. ET
Nearly 18 months after Katie Holmes blindsided Tom Cruise and the world with a bombshell divorce, Cruise is finally admitting what many have long speculated: that she did it, at least in part, so that she and her daughter, Suri could leave the Church of Scientology.
Now, RadarOnline.com takes you inside Cruise's explosive deposition on September 9 which reveals the truth of how Scientology impacted his family apart once and for all.
During Holmes' marriage to Cruise, 51, she was a practitioner of the church, as he confirmed to lawyers for Bauer Media, the publishers of In Touch magazine. (Cruise is suing them over a recent cover story.)
But as soon as 34-year-old Holmes left him, she left Scientology as well -- taking seven-year-old Suri with her.
When lawyers first asked Cruise about claims that Holmes divorced him "in part to protect Suri from Scientology," he lashed back.
"Listen, I find that question offensive," he exploded, according to a 36-page deposition transcript obtained by RadarOnline.com. "I find it, those statements offensive. Like with any relationship, there are many different levels to it. You know, I, I find it very offensive. There is no need to protect my daughter from my religion."
They pushed further, asking, "And Ms. Holmes has never indicated in any way that was one of the reasons she left you? …To protect Suri from Scientology?"
Finally, Cruise admitted, "Did she say that? That was one of the assertions, yes."
"Is Suri currently practicing Scientology?" they asked.
Cruise answered, "No."
It was a breathtaking admission from Cruise, since leaving the Church of Scientology is akin to death for members.
According to Scientology's website, anyone who publicly renounces the "faith" is considered an "Suppressive Person," and "loses both his or her fellowship with the Church as well as with other Scientologists." Many former Scientologists have described how family members within the church cut off all contact with them once they left, branding them suppressive persons.
As such, lawyers asked Cruise, "Would you consider, would the Church consider Ms. Holmes to be a suppressive person upon leaving the Church?"
"That is a distortion and a simplification of the matter," he snapped. "… I don't want to just give an oversimplification of religious doctrine."
But when confronted with the definition of an SP from the church website, Cruise admitted that it was an apt description.
What's more, when asked if Holmes, who had been close to his Scientologist children with Nicole Kidman, Isabella and Connor during their marriage, had had any contact at all with them since the divorce, he answered, "No."
Bella and Connor's own mother, Kidman, has hinted that she too has been estranged from her children since she left the church and her marriage in 2001.
In 2007, she said, "My kids don't call me mommy, they don't even call me mom. They call me Nicole, which I hate and tell them off for it." In 2010, she said, "They live with Tom, which was their choice. I wish they would live with us, but what can you do?" And last year, Isabella said that she sees her mother, at best, "sometimes."
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Cruise's explosive admissions have come during his ongoing lawsuit with Bauer Media, the publishers of In Touch magazine, whom he is suing over a cover on Cruise and Suri titled "Abandoned By Daddy."
"I mean, come on, that is absolutely disgusting," Cruise exploded when presented with the cover during the deposition. "That is absolutely disgusting. And I have to tell you with everything … Listen, I am a public person, I absolutely understand. For me there is … I tolerate a tremendous amount and I'm very privileged to be able to have the life that I have, and I believe that. But there is a line that, that I draw for myself, and that's it."
