Cao Dai

[[File:Cao Dai three saints signing an accord.jpg|right|thumb|165px|Painting which shows three saints of Cao Dai (Sun Yat-Sen, Victor Hugo and Nguyen Binh Khiem) signing an agreement between God and humanity.]]{{religion}}
'''Đạo Cao Đài''', or '''Cao Dai''' in English (full name '''Đại Đạo Tam Kỳ Phổ Độ'''), is a [[Vietnam]]ese syncretic [[religion]], and the third largest in the country with over 7 million followers.<ref name="tolerance">[http://www.religioustolerance.org/caodaism.htm Caodaism] - Religious Tolerance</ref> Their [[god]]'s full name is Cao Đài Tiên Ông Đại Bồ Tát Ma-ha-tát, usually abbreviated Đức Cao Đài. Caodaists believe theirs is the Third [[Revelation]] of [[God]]: the First being [[Judaism]], [[Hinduism]], and [[Yi king]]; and the Second being [[Buddhism]], [[Confucianism]], [[Christianity]], and [[Taoism]] (sorry [[Islam]]). It is also strongly influenced by [[Spiritualism]] (Spiritism) with its belief in [[seance]]s as a method of communicating religious doctrine.

Their chief [[prophet]] is Ngo Van Chieu, a civil servant who was the first to receive messages from Đức Cao Đài, ushering in the period of contact with the divine known as the Third Revelation, in 1926. The religion was formally established as Đại Đạo Tam Kỳ Phổ Độ (The Third Great Universal Religious Amnesty) that year, out of various small groups and sects who had been practising spiritualist techniques and receiving messages. It became popular over succeeding decades, supporting Vietnamese nationalism but generally taking a moderate position about negotiation with the French. Vietnamese communists were hostile to it for many years but have now relaxed their opposition.<ref>[http://www.religionfacts.com/cao-dai Cao Dai.] ReligionFacts.com, 17 March 2015.</ref>

Because of their syncretic nature and their belief in the validity of previous revelations, Caodaists pray not only to Đức Cao Đài but also to [[Buddha]], [[Jesus Christ]], [[Lao Tzu]], [[Confucius]], and Khuong Thai Cong, who represents Geniism (a Vietnamese [[folk religion]] also incorporated into Cao Dai), because why the hell not?

Cao Dai distinguishes different levels of holiness. The top level is God, Buddha, and those who have Buddha-like status. The next level is the [[Immortality|Immortals]], which includes Confucius. The next level is the [[saint]]s, among which are [[William Shakespeare]], Victor Hugo, [[Joan of Arc]], [[Louis Pasteur]], Thomas Jefferson, Sun Yat-sen (the revolutionary father of Chinese republicanism),<ref> [http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/travel/in-vietnam-the-cao-dai-temple-mixes-religions-and-styles.html “Where the Faithful Worship Among the Tourists”] Kit Gillet, ''New York Times'', May 11, 2012. </ref> and [[Lenin]] (which is ironic, as Caodaists were persecuted by the [[communist]] government from 1975-1997<ref name="tolerance" />).<ref name="fuse">[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-jan-07-me-beliefs7-story.html "Cao Dai Fuses Great Faiths of the World"] Patricia Ward Biederman, ''LA Times'', Jan. 7, 2006.</ref> The three most important saints are Victor Hugo, Sun Yat-sen, and Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm. Cao Đài has two main sects: exoterists, who simply follow Cao Đài, and esoterists, who are basically [[monk]]s of Cao Đài.

The syncretism of Cao Đài underlies their belief that all religions teach the same thing, and their goal of promoting religious harmony. Caodaists also believe in [[reincarnation]] similar to Buddhism, the existence of a [[soul]] which contains both the human soul and part of God's spirit, and the effects of [[Karma]] on future lives. Though they claim full equality for men and women,<ref name="fuse" /> women are not allowed above the rank of cardinal (Cao Đài clergy mimic the [[Roman Catholic Church]] in terms of titles).<ref name="tolerance" />

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{stub|religion}}

[[Category:Eastern religions]]

Categories: Eastern religions