Tom Cruise's Scientology rant: 'It's a blast - we can change the world'

The actor delivered the sermon four years ago when he accepted the 'Freedom Medal of Valour' award at an International Association of Scientologists event.

The clip was briefly made available on YouTube, but it has since been removed.

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During the astonishing nine-minute lecture, Tom insisted criminals and even drug addicts could be rehabilitated by Scientology.

Tom refers to the cult's leader David Miscavige, the Scientology equivalent of the Pope.

But the controversial video was Scientologists' eyes only and not meant for public consumption.

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Last night, an insider revealed: "Tom is extremely unhappy about this. He takes Scientology very, very seriously and he does not want it subject to abuse and ridicule on the internet."

During the surprising speech, Cruise insisted it was an honour to be a Scientologist.

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He claimed: "I think it's a privilege to call yourself a Scientologist, and it's something that you have to earn because a Scientologist has the ability to create new and better realities and improve conditions. "Being a Scientologist, you look at someone and know absolutely that you can help them."

He revealed: "Being a Scientologist, when you drive past an accident, it's not like anyone else when you drive past.

"You know you have to do something about it because you know you're the only one that can really help.

"But that's what drives me. I know that we have an opportunity to really effectively change people's lives and I am dedicated to that.

"I am absolutely, uncompromisingly dedicated to that."

Later, he insisted Scientology could help reform criminals through its controversial 'Criminon' organisation which recruits prison inmates.

The religion would also help drug addicts combat their problems.

And even world peace could be achieved as long as all nations adopted Scientology as their religion of choice.

He claimed: "We are the authorities on getting people off drugs. We are the authorities on the mind.

"We are the authorities on improving conditions. We can rehabilitate criminals.

"We can bring peace and unite cultures."

The Mission: Impossible star added: "Travelling the world and meeting the people that I've met, talking with these leaders in various fields, they want help and they are depending on people who know and who can be effective and do it and that's us.

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"That is our responsibility, to do that."

Later, he issued a rallying cry to all Scientologists to help change the world.

He urged: "It is the time now. Now is the time. Being a Scientologist, people are turning to you, so you better know it, you better know it and if you don't, go and learn it, but don't pretend you know it.

"It's like we're here to help.

"So it's our responsibility to educate, create the new reality.

The rant continued: "I have to tell you something, it is rough and tumble, and it's wild and woolly, and it's a blast, it's a blast, it really is fun because, dammit, there is nothing better than going out there and fighting the fight and suddenly you see things are better.

"I do what I can, and I do it the way I do everything. There's nothing part-of-the way for me."

In his new and controversial book Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography, author Andrew Morton alleges that the 45-year-old actor ranks second in command in the Church of Scientology.

The church responded to Morton's book with a 15-page statement, calling the book "a bigoted, defamatory assault replete with lies" and saying Cruise "is a Scientology parishioner and holds no official or unofficial position in the Church hierarchy".