They say news sometimes comes in thunderbolts, and this would probably be a good example of that.

According to a report from Star Magazine, Tom Cruise is allegedly planning to leave the Church of Scientology. An inside source told the tabloid that the 52 year-old actor is finally going to break ties with the secretive and controversial religion in order to salvage his relationship with 9 year-old daughter Suri.

The source told Star that a recent phone conversation Tom had with his daughter made him realize that he’s missing important milestones of her childhood.

She was going on and on about her ballet class and how much she loves it. That’s when Tom realized he’s never seen her perform ballet and he started to tear up. It hit him that she’s growing up before his eyes and he’s not there to witness most of it. They talk on the phone and video chat, but it’s not the same.

Considering that Tom’s ex Katie Holmes has distanced herself from the Church after their divorce, Scientology sees her as a “suppressive” (Scientology speak for someone who is hostile to the church) person, and will no doubt apply that label to Suri as she gets older.

“Tom has been under tremendous pressure where Suri and Katie are concerned because the church doesn’t want him close to them. They can’t stand that their own poster boy isn’t raising his child in the church. If they label Suri a suppressive person, as they’ve been known to do with dissenters, that would make it hard for Tom to have a relationship with her. He’s between a rock and a hard place, but he’s finally making a choice to put his daughter first.”

If the source’s claims are true, this latest development is a huge chapter in a series of PR disasters for Scientology. Along with the recent HBO documentary based on the best-selling book Going Clear pointing to the alleged sinister inner workings of the church, a new tell-all book written by the father of the church’s leader, David Miscavige, is in the works – which apparently has Miscavige in a panic.

Scientology’s abusive tactics have long been reported, but the church’s leadership has always been able to keep attacks from critics just out of the mainstream. It’s starting to look like that’s no longer the case.

Featured image: Ryot.org