About Coconut Religion

The Coconut Religion was a Vietnamese religious sect centered in southern Vietnam's Bến Tre Province. Founded in 1963, adherents created a "Coconut Kingdom" on an islet of the Mekong River. The religion is largely based on Buddhist and Christian beliefs, alongside the pacifism teachings of founder Nguyễn Thành Nam. The religion was abolished by the communist authorities after 1975. At its peak, the religion had some 4,000 followers. After the founder’s death following a clash with the authorities in 1990, the cult is now practiced by a very small minority.
The Coconut Religion was a Vietnamese religious sect centered in southern Vietnam's Bến Tre Province. Founded in 1963, adherents created a "Coconut Kingdom" on an islet of the Mekong River. The religion is largely based on Buddhist and Christian beliefs, alongside the pacifism teachings of founder Nguyễn Thành Nam. The religion was abolished by the communist authorities after 1975. At its peak, the religion had some 4,000 followers. After the founder’s death following a clash with the authorities in 1990, the cult is now practiced by a very small minority.