Religion
In Burma, we find Buddhism, natural religions (animism), Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism.
Buddhism (Theravada tradition)
Buddhism is said to have come to Burma around 480 BC in the course of trading relationships of the Mon with India; it is in power here since the 11th century AD after the ascension of a king who had become a Buddhist. At that time, the capital Pagan began to be developed into a religious center with 13.000 pagodas and temples, of which 2.200 are still existing.
Buddhists are estimated to represent at 85 to 90 % of the population. Nevertheless, the belief in spirits is deeply rooted. Most Buddhists are Burmans, representing a minimum of 60 % of the total population. But Buddhism is also strongly represented among the Shan and Rakhine, a large part of the Karen, the Mon, Palaung, and many other ethnic groups.
In rural areas, temples and temple schools are traditional places of learning for boys from 8 to 20 years. This is due partly to the fact that the families are very poor and the maintenance of a novice will thus not have to be paid for by a single family, and partly because monks are highly respected and it is traditional for a Buddhist to have lived in a temple for a certain period of time. Transmission of the teachings of Buddha takes an important place. Although these novices, who are seen everywhere in society, live protected by their order and community, they are - at least in Thailand - surprisingly free in choosing their temple and teacher. The number of monks is estimated at approx. 800.000.
In Burma, there are several well-known meditation centers and schools of Buddhist teaching where foreigners may stay for a limited period of time in order to take courses.
In 1871, a Buddhist synod is called to Mandalay for the first time in 2000 years; it is attended by 2.400 scholars. In times of colonialist threat, the feeling of unity among Buddhists is to be strengthened. The binding Buddhist teachings are carved in 729 marble slabs.
Under British colonialist rule, "church" (sangha) and state are separated so that the latter cannot exert any influence over the monastic orders any more. The British disregard religious customs, and the monks organize themselves also politically and play an important role in the struggle for liberation. The monk U Ottama is the protagonist of a politically active Buddhism and a national hero; he dies in 1921 after being thrice held for months in a British colonial prison. Hence the connection between Buddhism and nationalism and the resistance of the monks has a strong tradition in Burma. For that reason there are many monks - also very young ones - among the prisoners, missed and tortured today, too.
During the reigns of U Nu (1948-1958, 1960-1962), Buddhism is official religion of the country: the creation of a Buddhist-socialist welfare state is attempted. The experiment has failed due to lack of cooperation of the Marxists and to insufficient parliamentary majorities after 1956; it took an end in the military putsch of 1962.
Although the pillars of the state, the Burmans, are Buddhists, the arbitrary treatment SLORC and SPDC practiced even against the sangha has increased in an unheard-of manner since 1988. Army, police and secret services persecute not only the democratic movements, but also monks who, profiting from their status to be a good example to the people, call to mind human dignity or refuse acceptance of food hypocritically offered by the murdering generals. Temples have been occupied, shelled and destroyed. Even monks do not escape prisons, labor camps, displacement and death by murder.
Monks (even very old abbots) are stripped of their robe (an unprecedented outrage in the eyes of true believers) in order to do forced labor in quarries or road and railway construction projects together with women, children and old people, often until their physical destruction. And this in view of developing the infrastructure called for by army and tourism.
Animistic religions
The traditionally non-Buddhist ethnic groups (Karen, Kachin, Chin, Naga) are animists and practice various types of natural religion. Not belonging to any of the important world religions, they were a favored goal of Christian mission; there are therefore Christians to be found in many of these groups.
Christianity
In 1519, Catholicism comes to Burma by way of a Portuguese trading station. From 1600 to 1613, a Portuguese rules over the town of Syriam as customs administrator and converts 100.000 persons to Catholicism. He destroys Buddhist sanctuaries all over the country-side and is finally executed. Burmese Christians have to move away. There are hardly any remnants of this first missionary effort. In 1722, Italians make a second missionary attempt in a friendly atmosphere but with little success.
An American Baptist mission starts in 1813. In 1819, a first missionary sermon is pronounced in Burmese. In 1820, a Burmese woman is the first person to receive protestant baptism; she later founds the first Christian school. Anglican clergymen who soon take up their missionary work among the Burmese accompany the British troops arriving in 1825. In 1828, first mission by Baptists among the Karen. The Karen believe a white man will bring them back a lost book full of wisdom and let themselves be persuaded this book is the bible. This facilitates missionary work. In 1835, the first bible is printed in Burmese language. The tolerant king Mindon encourages the activities of the Anglican church with the result that Burma is set up as autonomous Anglican diocese in 1877. Due to pressure the Burmans exercise on the minorities, the Baptist and later the Methodist and Anglican Karen split off from their respective Burmese mother churches in 1912. After arrival of the Lutheran mission in Burma, the Salvation Army starts working there too in 1915.
During the entry of the Japanese in 1942, there are riots against Christians in some regions before the "liberators" confiscate the American Baptist churches and schools as enemy goods. Even after 1945, the christianized minority mountain tribes are especially attacked by the Burmans, and their territory becomes a permanent battle field. In 1966, the overseas missionaries have to leave the country like almost all foreigners.
Since the armistices in the nineties, the mountain tribes start their own development activities (also with regard to churches). While in earlier times civil wars were less motivated by religious considerations, the Junta now replaces bullying for ethnic reasons by that for religious ones. Especially the mostly Christian Karen fighting for independence in several organizations find themselves under existential pressure by the Burmese military regime for both reasons. Recently, there are indications of a secret service strategy to systematically attack, destroy and eradicate the Christianity in Burma in the future.
http://thanghlun.blogspot.com/2007/09/religion-in-myanmar-burma.html
