Restrictions on many Muslim practices started in 1559. Islamīurma has had Muslim influences since the 11th Century, and the first known Muslim there was an Indian sailor named Byat Wi, arriving in the area around 1050 A.D. Christianity in the country constitute 6.2% of the total population. Christianity has influenced education by sponsoring educational institutions and offering theological education. However, there have been acceptance of foreign organizations doing humanitarian work in the country. Christians are alleged to have suffered persecution and discrimination making them miss leadership positions in the country. The main denominations in the Myanmar include Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, and Orthodox. There was a significant consolidation of the church in Lower Burma among the minorities between the 1850s and 1880s. Missionaries played a prominent role in establishing religion in the country. The first Christians in the country were Portuguese soldiers and a few traders. However, the majority of Buddhists still hold their animistic beliefs, that non-living things have spirits as well.Ĭhristianity has held a place in Myanmar since the 18th Century. A good reason for this belief is that Buddha died under a tree. Buddhism influences the society to conserve the environment as it deems nature sacred. Buddhism believes in reincarnation and considers that the present actions will affect future life after death.

Buddhism teaches love and kindness for one another and advocates for avoiding the extremes while stressing on good deeds. The religion contains four noble truths which include suffering. His meditation made him reach a state free from world desires. The religion began in India around 2,500 years ago when an Indian prince by the name Siddhartha Gautama left the prestigious life to wander as a poor man. The majority of Myanmar practices Theravada Buddhism, which they consider as a path to follow rather than a faith in the Western sense of religion. Christianity and Islam have been growing significantly in the recent years. Buddhism is the most dominant religion with 89.20%. However, there is a limit at which the government tolerates extreme activities by the different faiths, and there have been reports on persecution of the minority religions by the government. However, in 1988 the socialist constitution of 1974 was suspended. Myanmar was under the rule of the military and repressive regime following 1962. The country is often referred to in the Western World as Burma. It lies between Bangladesh and Thailand in Asia. Myanmar is a country in Southeastern Asia bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Myanmar religion