Resurfaced video shows Tom Cruise saluting Scientology's dead founder
Topics: Celebrity
Emma Guinness
Featured Image Credit: blokovi/YouTube
Topics: Celebrity
Tom Cruise is one of the world's most famous scientologists and now a video has resurfaced of the actor saluting the organisation's dead founder.
The Mission Impossible actor, now 60, can be seen wearing the Freedom Medal of Valor - an honour only he has received for his humanitarian work - as he discusses the group's place in history.
"These are the times, people," the actor says in his impassioned speech. "These are the times we will all remember. Were you there? What did ya do?"
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"I think you know that I am there for you, and I do care so very, very, very much."
"So what d'ya say?" Cruise, who appears emotional at this point adds. "Are we gonna clean this place up?"
This prompts the listening crowd to erupt into a roar of 'yeah!'
"Because we're counting on you," the actor says, before gesturing to another man on the scientology stage, who happily nods.
The actor then turns and salutes a portrait of the founder of the Church of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard, and the crowd gives him a standing ovation.
He is then embraced by the man on the stage.
As you can imagine, this went far from unnoticed on YouTube, where the video was first posted, and at the time of writing, it has been viewed over 1.5 million times since it was uploaded in 2008.
However, it's recently being doing the rounds on Reddit, and it was posted there just eight hours ago, and in that time it's garnered over 9.6K reactions.
Fans had a lot to say about the passionate speech too.
On Reddit, some compared it to something from one of Tom Cruise's film roles.
"He won the gold medal!" said one viewer. "This is like a Tupperware sales leader award ceremony from the planet Xenon."
Someone else couldn't help but joke: "Scientology teaches you that if you really want to connect with people when making a speech then play an invisible piano."
Since joining the Church of Scientology back in 1990 after he was introduced by his first wife, Mimi Rogers, Cruise has risen through the ranks to become one of its leading members.
Hubbard founded the church back in 1955 and its members believe that it will lead them on a path to true spiritual enlightenment.