Though many of us (most likely) have a low opinion of the irrational (creepy) Scientology “church”, wouldn’t it be fair to remember that Tom Cruise is a father?  The NYPost reports today that Cruise has been video chatting with
his daughter since Katie Holmes (Cruise’ estranged & soon to be divorced ) wife left him in the lurch, during last month’s much publicized split (escape).

Personally, I have a low opinion of Scientology because I know it for the scam that it is.  Its history aside, in the late 1970′s I was sucked into it for an afternoon of endless survey questions.  After some sort of ridiculous interview the church agent convinced the young me that all they wanted was either free labor or convenient donor to their “whatever it was back then”.  I left & didn’t really give it a upper thoughts, except now & again when the church has made headlines over this & that.

Not a problem for me.  One would have to be a complete sponge to get sucked into it in the first place.  It’s not that aggressive.  At least, no more than a used car salesman & all you have to do on a car lot is smile & walk away.

What pulls my heart strings, which are usually reserved for animals & other creatures that rely on humans for advocacy; is that in so many instances it is the father who is left hanging out to dry.  Bereft & alone after a wife has flown the nest or a judge has “decided” that a nurturing mommy is better than a nurturing papa.  I know this is an issue & that it’s a bit controversial because people always assume that the mother should be the natural caregiver.

One notes that this has not always been so.  Throughout history, if there was a split within a marriage it was the father who had all the natural rights to make decisions of custody or abandonment.  In our modern era this is not so, yet the reverse inequity is the rule of the day.  With the mother being, almost always without question, given custody – if she indeed wishes to keep the child with her.  Of course, this is all a matter of perspective & the view of justice is usually based on one’s gender.  Usually.  Yet men, while paying their share of monetary support are given short shrift in the bargain.

I’m not saying that a parent should have partial/equal custody of the child because they are paying for it.

Even though I have no patience with people who micro-manage everything in sight (as I suspect Cruise is guilty of); I do have sympathy for him & his wife equally.  She didn’t want the life she had & decided to do something else.  It’s not my place to get into the middle of anyone’s marital blisslessness.  It’s never a good idea & friends & family of anyone going through crisis of this nature should really treat the couple as lepers.  If only to preserve some sort of relationship for themselves with either one (or both), in the future.

Cruise obviously loves his daughter & he’s not a bad person.  I’m saying, give him a break & don’t automatically side with Katie, who has a face of an angel.

Enough said?

Meanwhile, Tom is trying to keep in touch with his baby via video chat.  Pathos.

Please remember that I’m not a marriage counselor & have mercy on me over this delicate matter.

Meanwhile, I still like Tom’s films.  A lot.