Scientologists urge followers to 'take action' as Katie Holmes' split from Tom Cruise is the 'biggest nightmare the Church has ever seen'

As Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes amass their legal teams and build their respective cases for custody of their six-year-old daughter Suri, a third party is diligently organizing their own defense in what has the makings for one of the biggest Hollywood divorces in years: the Church of Scientology.

In light of the rumors that Cruise’ devotion to Scientology- and his supposed desire to enrol Suri in one of the religion’s intense boot camps - was one of the main causes for their split, two senior Church administrators sent a panicked email giving followers advice on how to counter the negative press storm.

The letter comes the day after one of the most noted ‘defectors’ from the religion predicted that Cruise’ latest divorce could be the ‘biggest nightmare in the Church of Scientology’s history’ because of the drama that could unfold if secrets are publicly revealed in court.



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Preparing for the worst: Senior Scientology administrators are concerned about a backlash against the religion because of the divorce proceedings

Marty Rathbun, who left the Church after reaching one of the top positions within the ultra-secretive organization, has since begun working as a counsellor for those who decide to leave and has started a popular blog about the misgivings of the religion.

At the heart of a scandal: Katie Holmes and her daughter Suri have been spotted in New York in the days following her decision to file divorce papers

Today he posted an email that was sent out from the Church’s Office of Special Affairs, which he calls the ‘dirty tricks and propaganda arm of Scientology Inc.’

In the letter, the Church officials suggest that it is time for fellow followers take action against the supposedly false reports that have metastasised in the wake of the split.

‘While this is a personal matter, when people start to bring our religion into the middle and a bunch of uninformed people start to spread false datum, rumors and defame our religion it became a matter that does affect my Dynamics and I believe that affects yours as well,’ writes Daniel Lattanzi.

He goes on to instruct readers that they should scan the web for negative comments on news stories and then notify the website’s monitors that the comment reflects a violation of their code of conduct that all users agree to before signing up.

In addition to exposing this memo explaining the Church’s plan, Mr Rathbun also said that, during his time in Scientology he was fully aware of Katie’s involvement and said that she never fully committed to the religion.

For instance, a major part of the religion includes auditing sessions where followers tell their innermost thoughts and secrets to ‘auditors’ in hopes of riding themselves of negative energy. These sessions are often recorded and taped, which reportedly provides fodder for blackmail if any when the individuals go against the Church.

'I did audit sessions with Tom Cruise from 2001-2004 and I can tell you that I have a friend that has been providing Katie Holmes' family information for years with information about the iron grip the Church of Scientology has on Tom Cruise's family and professional life. This has been going on for at least four years,’ Mr Rathbun told RadarOnline .



The Holmes family, who are devout Catholics, have reportedly been sceptical of Scientology from the start and the actress’ lawyer father, Martin, is said to have rushed to her side and helped saddle her up with two famously tough New York and New Jersey-based divorce attorneys.



The leader of the Church Of Scientology, David Miscavige, speaks during the inauguration of the Church of Scientology in Madrid in 2004

Different divorces: Fewer advisers remain for Cruise during his latest divorce from Holmes (right) than there were when he divorced Nicole Kidman in (left)

Former Scientologist Marty Rathbun leaked the email from the Church's Office of Special Affairs

Another reason that Scientologist administrators have to be concerned with the upcoming divorce is because the circumstances surrounding it are so dramatically different from those of Cruise’ previous divorce from Nicole Kidman in 2001.

At the time, Cruise was the one to ‘surprise’ his wife with divorce papers while Holmes was the one to leave her husband ‘deeply saddened’ at the news just shy of his 50th birthday.

The biggest concern for Holmes seems to be her daughter Suri, and the 33-year-old actress clearly took logistical steps (like by filing the divorce papers in New York instead of California because the Empire State would be more likely to grant her sole custody) in hopes that she will not get sidelined by Cruise’ lawyers during the custody arrangements.

Preparing: Cruise has enlisted the help of his long-time legal team to ensure that he will still be able to see his daughter Suri

This is a dramatic shift from that of Kidman, who rarely sees her two adopted children from her marriage with Cruise, who has full custody of Bella and Connor and has raised them as devout Scientologists.

‘By filing for sole custody of Suri, she’s making it very clear she’s not going to let what happened with Nicole Kidman happen to her,’ says ex-Scientologist Karen De La Carriere, who was married to a former Church President before she defected.

‘Katie ambushed Tom Cruise and in so doing outwitted some of the most controlling people on Earth,’ De La Carriere told The Hollywood Reporter .

While Cruise will be advised by his longtime lawyer Bert Fields, Rathbun and Mike Rinder, another top-ranking Scientologist, will not be at his side like they were during the Kidman divorce because they have both left the Church.

‘They don’t have the resources or the people to help them attack the way they used to because so many key people have blown,’ ex-Scientologist Amy Scobee told The Hollywood Reporter, using the religion’s word (‘blown’) for defectors.

‘Marty and Mike are irreplaceable. They were tough. They understood Scientology, and they knew how to take care of business. Scientology can hire all the lawyers they want now, but they won’t hold a candle to Marty and Mike.’

Because of the changing landscape and public interest in the case fueling a media spectacle, the divorce supposedly has the potential to tear down more than simply one couple’s marriage.

‘If Tom’s smart, he won’t fight her on anything, even custody. He should just try to settle his way out of it,’ Mr Rathbun said.

‘She could press this sole-custody issue and litigate it, and that would be the biggest nightmare in the Church of Scientology’s history. It would be a circus they couldn’t survive.’

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