The coconut religion of Vietnam
A South Vietnamese cult that is no longer recognised by the Vietnamese government
The Coconut Religion was founded in the former South Vietnam by Nguyễn Thành Nam, a Vietnamese mystic who really loved coconuts. He was also known as Ông Đạo Dừa, which is Vietnamese for “Coconut Monk”. He studied chemical engineering in France, and sold coconut-based soaps for some time. After a while, Ông Đạo Dừa prayed for peace in Vietnam near a pagoda for three years. He allegedly ate only coconuts during this time.
Some believed he was mentally ill. Many monks found him troublesome. Nevertheless, the South Vietnamese government respected him as a religious man. He was even a candidate for the presidential election, but he withdrew lest he were arrested. Ông Đạo Dừa emphasised on religious harmony and combined elements from many religions, particularly Buddhism and Christianity. He usually wore Buddhist robes and a Christian crucifix to show this.
Ông Đạo Dừa was tired of the war and promoted harmony and spirituality among his followers. To show the North and South could coexist, he raised a cat and a mouse together. With his students, he created objects of peace with bomb shells and bullets. The Coconut Religion peaked with 4,000 followers before South Vietnam was captured by the North Vietnam, when it was regarded as a cult by the government and banned in 1975. It is still unrecognised in Vietnam. Ông Đạo Dừa himself was imprisoned for ten years, and died following a clash with the authorities.
