HBO's Scientology Documentary Reveals Church Split Up Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman
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Former Scientologist Mark Rathbun says in 'Going Clear' which premiered at Sundance that Scientology head David Miscavige wasn't keen on Cruise's relationship with Kidman.

AceShowbiz - New documentary "Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief" which will air on HBO reveals crazy things about the Church of Scientology. Premiered at Sundance Film Festival on Sunday night, January 25, the pic features testimony from a former top official at the church, Mark "Marty" Rathbun.

In the doc, Rathbun, who was the second-highest ranking official in the church, says Scientology head David Miscavige had disdain for Tom Cruise's then wife Nicole Kidman, whose father Dr. Anthony Kidman was a prominent psychologist in Australia. Scientology is opposed to psychiatry and psychology.

Rathbun claims for the above mentioned reason, he was appointed "to facilitate the breakup with Nicole Kidman." He reveals that the church brainwashed Kidman and Cruise's adoptive children, Connor and Isabella, to turn them against their mother. At one point, Rathbun also ordered a private investigator to wiretap the actess' phone.

The doc also suggests that John Travolta "is kept in the group because they have mountains and mountains of dirt on him, the result of years of spiritual 'auditing,' " Vulture reports. Moreover, the church is alleged of mistreating its members and in some cases physically abusing them as well as threatening and harassing those who leave the faith.

According to Mashable, the church's membership has significantly dropped from about 100,000 in the early '90s, but still retains some 50,000 members in the social age. The church allegedly has "managed to retain its tax-exempt status based on its classification as a religion according to the IRS with access to some $3 billion in assets," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis, who is a former Scientologist and left the church in 2009 after decades of membership, says in the film, "I was really stupid. I was part of this for 30 years before I spoke out. I was deeply ashamed."

The pic received a standing ovation at Sundance Film Festival. It will air on Monday, March 16 on HBO.

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