Tom Cruise and Suri Break Scientology's 'Disconnect' Rule

With the Tom Cruise/Katie Holmes divorce over just as quickly as it started, not much time was spent thinking about the implications of the settlement. Tom got "significant contact" with Suri, which is par for the course for your average divorce settlement... but for Scientologists, it's unheard of.

One of the harsher rules of the Church of Scientology is the "disconnect" that members must make from their non-Scientology family members. Ex-Scientologists claim that when they left the organization, they were forbidden from seeing or speaking with any of their friends or family members who were still with the church.

So, by Scientology's usual mandates, Tom should not be allowed to see Suri or Katie at all, as they have both split from the church. And yet, there's that whole "significant contact" thing.

It's no surprise, really, that Tom Cruise is above the laws of the Church of Scientology. After all, he's one of the highest-ranking members of the organization, so not only is he likely to have special privileges, but the church will also want to ensure that his prominent public image doesn't do anything to damage them. If Tom stopped seeing Suri altogether, the public would probably notice, and the church's harsh rules would be truly brought to light.

Sadly, this reveals a terrible double standard within the organization. You have to wonder if Cruise is even aware of the disconnect rule, or any of the church's other questionable practices, if he is not held to the same responsibilities. If he were, would it change? Would he leave? Would it be the end of Scientology?