Cruise Dogged by Scientology Split Rumors

March 20 -- A persistent rumor that Tom Cruise has severed his ties with the Church of Scientology has resurfaced, and though the actor has silenced past reports with threats of legal action, that hasn't stopped various outlets from running the newest gossip.

London's Sunday Telegraph quotes a source that claims that the secretive star paid the church "a very generous donation" to end his relationship with Scientology, a story echoed on IMDb.com and picked up by Internet gossip columnist Jeannette Walls.

Cruise's devotion to his religion was murmured as one possible reason behind his sudden split from wife Nicole Kidman, who was raised Catholic and was said to be uncomfortable committing herself to Scientology. Last month, Cruise mouthpiece Pat Kingsley adamantly denied those charges, asserting that "Scientology had nothing to do with this."

"Tom remains a Scientologist," Cruise attorney Burt Fields told the New York Daily News today. "He has not come anywhere close to leaving the church."

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Calls to Cruise's publicist were not returned.

Last year, Fields got US Weekly to print a retraction after it reported that Cruise had left the church.