Val Kilmer Always Had a Somewhat Mystical Air About Him — Did His Religious Beliefs Match?

In 2014, actor Val Kilmer was touring with his stage project Citizen Twain when he felt a lump in his throat. He was in Nashville at the time and decided to cancel that show because it had become difficult to swallow. In May 2020, he told The New York Times that this was not the first health issue he dealt with. Val had previously woken up in a pool of his own blood while home in Malibu. This led to a diagnosis of throat cancer, but that's not how he described it to the outlet.

Val was a Christian Scientist, and based on his religious beliefs, he said he had a "suggestion of throat cancer." He explained that "the idea is rather than say I have it or possess it, there is a claim, there’s a suggestion that this is a fact." The next step would be to pray away his fear so that his body would stop manifesting his distress. He eventually also sought medical treatment, but this does leave one with questions about Val's religious beliefs. Here's what we know.

According to the Christian Science website, it was founded in 1879 by a woman named Mary Baker Eddy, who believed in the power of healing through prayer. When Val talked about his cancer, the actor said he "prayed, and that was my form of treatment." However, he did seek medical treatment after his kids pushed back against his plan to try to cure his cancer with the help of a spiritual advisor.

Val also said he wasn't afraid of death because when a person dies, they aren't really gone. Humans are limited by their five senses, and when someone passes away, they are no longer perceived by our senses. Because of this, Val said he wasn't afraid of cancer because there is simply no such thing as cancer. The concept of time is human, but the divine concept of time is limitless and exists outside of past, present, or future.

It's tempting to compare Christian Science with Scientology, given the fact that science is in both names. However, they couldn't be more different. Christian Science is deeply connected to the Bible and all of God's laws within. "The Bible has been my only authority," wrote Mary in her book Science and Health. "The Bible contains the recipe for all healing."

Scientology was developed by L. Ron Hubbard. He believed man is an immortal spiritual being whose "experiences extend beyond a single lifetime." It also teaches that Man is "basically good" and his salvation "depends upon himself."