Mandaeanism

Mandaeanism is a Middle Eastern religion with ancient Gnostic origins. Whilst a millennium or more ago Mandaeans were found throughout Persia and Babylonia, today they remain only in isolated pockets of Iran and Iraq.

Mandaeans believe that Jesus and Moses were false prophets; instead they follow John the Baptist. It is uncertain whether the the origin of the Mandaeans is in followers of John the Baptist, or whether they merely adopted him. They have a hierarchical clergy, practice frequent baptism, and hold public worship on Sundays. They deplore fasting, monasticism, and the celibacy of Christian nuns, monks and (in some denominations) priests and bishops.

The main Mandaean scripture is the Ginza Rba.

Mani, the founder of Manichaeism, was brought up as a Mandaean, but later left Mandaeanism to found his own religion.