Tom Cruise's Ex-Wife Persuaded By Scientology To Let Him Date Future Spouse Nicole Kidman, Ex-Church Leader Claims

A former Scientologist detailed the enormous importance of Tom Cruise to the church in a bombshell one-on-one chat with Megyn Kelly following the publication of his new memoir, A Billion Years: My Escape From a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology.

During the interview, RadarOnline.com learned that Mike Rinder told Kelly that Cruise's first wife, actress Mimi Rogers, was persuaded by higher-ups to let the actor consider romancing soon-to-be superstar Kidman when they were still together.

Cruise and Rogers were married from 1987 to 1990.

Rogers, herself, was raised a Scientologist and Rinder said Cruise became a key figure of the church after the Someone to Watch Over Me star brought him into the mix.

Rinder claimed that David Miscavige, the church's leader, allegedly helped to facilitate the courtship between Cruise and his future second spouse as well as the actor's divorce from Rogers.

"He wanted to take up with Nicole, but he was still married to Mimi," claimed Rinder.

Rinder said he felt confident that Rogers was ultimately "convinced" that Cruise bringing Kidman into the Scientology fold was for the "greatest good," noting he wasn't there for any of the actual conversations but noticed the "results."

He speculated that Rogers was told "her marriage to Tom was less important than the achievement of the overall aims of Scientology."

Rinder said he wasn't sure what caused Kidman and Cruise's split in the end.

"There was always a fear that Nicole would be influenced by her dad," the author alleged. "Her dad is a psychiatrist, and to Scientologists, psychiatry is the devil."

Rinder also claimed the church has gone above and beyond to keep a smile on Cruise's face over the years.

"There is a lot of time and attention and money and effort put into keeping Tom Cruise happy," he continued. "David Miscavige believes that Tom Cruise is the greatest asset that Scientology has, and he treats him that way."

Rinder detailed his experiences with A-listers, as well as how he rose in the ranks before leaving behind the church in 2007 at the age of 52, alleging that he was later followed, hacked, spied on, and tracked.

In response to his memoir, a spokesperson for the church issued a statement.

"Mike Rinder is an inveterate liar who seeks to profit from his dishonesty," the spokesperson claimed. "He supports himself by orchestrating the harassment of his former Church and its leader through false police reports, incendiary propaganda and fraudulent media stories."