Madonna sticks up for Tom Cruise

Madonna believes Tom Cruise gets a "raw deal" for believing in Scientology.

The pop superstar - who is a follower of controversial religion Kabbalah, a mystical off-shoot of Judaism - insists the actor should be allowed to practice his faith without being ridiculed.

She told New York magazine: "I don't care if people worship turtles or frogs! All I care about is whether they are good people - and Tom is a good person. He gets a raw deal, just like the orphans in Malawi get a raw deal. I think a lot of marginalised people get a raw deal."

Madonna - who adopted Malawian David Banda in 2006 amid claims she had received special treatment from authorities because of her fame - also insists people are too wary of individuals who perform good deeds.

The 49-year-old singer, who was raised a Catholic, said: "I think people are just strangely suspicious of those who want to do something good. Yes, there are children in the US and UK who need to be given a home, but no ones going to die in an orphanage in America."

Scientology founder American sci-fi writer L. Ron Hubbard, claimed that extra terrestrial beings were sent to planet Earth by intergalactic ruler Xenu, who then blew up the aliens with hydrogen bombs in a volcano.