Why Did Tom Cruise Finally Bring His Scientology Medal Out of the Closet?

Journalist and Scientology expert Tony Ortega weighs in on the significance of a weekend sighting of Tom Cruise in London wearing the religion’s prestigious Freedom Medal of Valor, and also why more media outlets aren’t reporting the news.

Ortega says he finds it very curious that virtually no media outlets have picked up on the story of Cruise posing in a photograph with the medal, since there have been a plethora of stories in recent months suggesting that the actor was not taking part in Scientology activities, and that he might actually be leaving the religion all together.

“For the last year-and-a-half or so, ever since the breakup with Katie Holmes, the tabloid press keeps putting out these mysteriously sourced stories saying that Tom Cruise is going to quit Scientology and try to get Katie back. Or he’s having a crisis with his kids and their going to leave the church – none of which any of my sources ever say is true,” Ortega said

He explains that the photograph was taken by a man named Luis Bascaran - a talent manager who represents Ruddy Rodriguez – a former Miss World contestant for Venezuela and current telenovela star. Rodriguez has been a scientologist since 1997 The picture – which Ortega said was posted Saturday evening to Instagram by Bascaran - shows the two posing together, nicely dressed, with Tom displaying a “gaudy, giant medal” around his neck.

He said the timing of the photo makes sense because last weekend was the Church of Scientology’s annual gathering of the International Association of Scientologists in East Grinstead, England, outside London. “It looks obvious to me that Tom Cruise also attended (the festivities) with his medal on.” There is also a precedent, since various media reported in 2012 that Cruise was spotted at the London gathering’s Patron’s Ball, at that time also wearing the medal.

“But this is the first time we’ve seen Tom wearing this medal since he got it exactly 10 years ago,” said Ortega. He said Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige personally commissioned the prestigious Freedom Medal of Valor for the star, to recognize his continued commitment to the religion.

Ortega points out what many people do not know - that Cruise’s relationship with actress Nicole Kidman, she became disenchanted with the church and therefore “between 1995 and 2000, Tom was virtually out of Scientology entirely.”

However, after Tom and Nicole broke up, Miscavige made it a priority to quickly bring the actor back into the fold, according to Ortega, who said that task fell to Miscavige’s right-hand man, Marty Rathbun, who has since left the church.

After the ceremony during which Cruise was awarded the medal in October 2004, the actor became a publicity vehicle for the organization. “Over the next year, Miscavige kind of released Tom into the world – and Tom became the ambassador for Scientology, something that celebrities are usually very quiet about.”

Ortega emphasized the latest photo’s significance because of the numerous reports alluding to Cruise’s alleged lack of enthusiasm recently for Scientology. “He’s there, he’s at the Patron’s Ball wearing the gold medal - this should put those rumors to rest.

Watch the full episode to also hear Ortega comment on Rathbun reportedly being “ambushed” at the airport by current high-ranking members of the church.