BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: Back in the 1920s, in Vietnam, a group of men holding a séance had an experience that led them to found a new religion. It's called Cao Dai, and it includes not only attempts to communicate with spirits but the controversial teaching that all religions share a common principle. Lucky Severson visited Southeast Asia recently and sent us this report.

LUCKY SEVERSON: Miss Hong is having a vision. As we sat together in this room, the spirit moved into her body, she says, suddenly and unexpectedly.

(to Miss Hong): Who were you talking to?

Miss HONG (Cao Dai Disciple): My father and also mother from above.

SEVERSON: Miss Hong is a disciple of a Vietnamese-founded religion called Cao Dai, which means "above on high where God reigns." The church's home and main temple is located a couple hours north of Saigon, in a province called Tay Nynh. There are eyes throughout the massive temple that stare down, unblinkingly. The eye symbolizes God as He appeared in the first vision establishing the Cao Dai faith in 1926. It's also the way He appeared in a vision to Ngasha Beck in 1993. She says it was when she first heard of Cao Daism.

NGASHA BECK (Co-Author, CAO DAI: FAITH OF UNITY): The vision I had of the Divine Eye filled my entire visual field and it came rushing toward me and washed over me and there was a very loud sound at the time. So it, it involved my whole being and it was very intense and that's why, I guess, it was to get my attention enough so that I would do something about it.

SEVERSON: Ngasha Beck interpreted her vision as a sign that she should become a Cao Daist, and she has now co-authored a book about one of the world's most unusual religions -- unusual because it encompasses the teachings of most all religions, including Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. The book's co-author is Dr. Hum Bui, a California physician.

Dr. HUM BUI (Co-Author, CAO DAI: FAITH OF UNITY): That's the reason God has founded Cao Dai, in order to bring harmony to different religions. And the principle of Cao Dai is that religions are not different and if we take enough time to study deep --deeply enough in each religion, we would see that they have one same principal, if not identical principal.

SEVERSON: It's a religion with one very simple, very central theme -- peace for the individual and harmony for the world. A universal religion that allows members to continue to practice as a Christian, Buddhist, or whatever.

Dr. BUI: People do not need to get rid of their original faith in order to become Cao Dai.

SEVERSON: The colorful gowns and hats worn inside the temple reflect rank within the Church's hierarchy, which bears a strong resemblance to the organization of the Catholic Church. There are cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests. Women can rise as far as the position of cardinal, but cannot become pope. Cao Dai hasn't had a pope since 1934, but leaders expect God to appoint another one, when the world is ready.

Under the watchful eye of the Vietnamese government, it is difficult to speak to Cao Dai leaders, so we came here to Cambodia where Cao Dai officials are under less scrutiny.

And here, where a temple once stood, we were told by a Church spokesman, Vo Van Lung, through an interpreter, that members are still cautious about practicing their faith in the open. Mr. Vo believes, as do all adherents, that one day Cao Daism will be accepted in every country and grow far beyond the current membership of more than six million.