According to former Church of Scientology members, actor Tom Cruise settled the divorce quickly with Katie Holmes in order to protect his cult from negative press.

Steven Hassan, a cult expert, told The NY Post, “(Church leader) David Miscavige dictated Tom’s divorce deal. Scientology wanted a gag order as soon as possible to stop further negative information coming out. They would have agreed to allow Katie to raise Suri as a Catholic, as long as she doesn’t say anything bad about Scientology to Suri or the public.”

Miscavige, 52, is Cruise’s best friend and was the actor’s best man when he married Holmes in Italy in 2005, reports the NY Post. The newlyweds honeymooned on Miscavige’s yacht.

Marty Rathbun, a former high ranking Scientologist who worked with Tom Cruise, said, “Yes, I think that Tom Cruise chose his religion over his daughter Suri, and I also think that (Church leader) David Miscavige pressured Cruise to settle the divorce quickly,” RadarOnline reported.

Rathbun added: “They are paying to get Scientology Inc. out of the news.”

Another motivation behind Cruise’s quick and quiet exit may be the mystery surrounding Miscavige’s wife Shelly who has been missing for 5 years.

Miscavige’s reps deny she’s missing, or that she wanted to leave the cult. She was last seen in public in 2007.

Holmes will reportedly walk away from the 5-year marriage with $50 million dollars.

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