Christianity Grows In Myanmar Despite Persecution

Christianity in Myanmar is growing at a dramatic rate despite threats from Buddhist nationals, according to the UN Population Fund.

The 2014 Housing and Population census shows that Christians now make up 6.2 percent of Myanmar's population. This figure is three million higher than the 4.9 percent result during the last full census in 1983, World Watch Monitor reports .

Although the majority, 88 percent, of population remains Buddhist, nationals  reportedly feel that the growth of other religions is threatening the country's Buddhist identity.

 

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That's resulted in an uptick of Christian persecution by Myanmar nationals. Morning Star news reports that some Christians are being evicted from their own church property for the construction of a Buddhist pagoda.

St. Mark Anglican Church members in the southeastern Karen State are being targeted, for the third time, by a monk named U Thuzana.

Bishop Saw Stylo and other church leaders have tried to keep peace in the regions by allocating parts of the land for the construction project.

Stylo said he wants to avoid conflict as the government is trying to end armed conflict in the country.

"We have to forgive each other," Stylo said. "We can only see God if we forgive. So we always have to keep forgiveness with us.