1. Antigua and Barbuda

2. The Bahamas

3. Barbados

4. Canada

5. Costa Rica

6. Cuba

7. Mexico

8. Panama

9. United States
     Treatment of Native American religions    Treatment of Jews    Treatment of Muslims    Treatment of atheists  

10. References

The status of religious freedom in North America varies from country to country. States can differ based on whether or not they guarantee equal treatment under law for followers of different religions, whether they establish a state religion (and the legal implications that this has for both practitioners and non-practitioners), the extent to which religious organizations operating within the country are policed, and the extent to which religious law is used as a basis for the country's legal code.

There are further discrepancies between some countries' self-proclaimed stances of religious freedom in law and the actual practice of authority bodies within those countries: a country's establishment of religious equality in their constitution or laws does not necessarily translate into freedom of practice for residents of the country. Additionally, similar practices (such as having religious organizations register with the government) can have different consequences depending on other sociopolitical circumstances specific to the countries in question.

Antigua and Barbuda

The constitution of Antigua and Barbuda establishes the freedom of religious belief in the country. Members of clergy are not allowed to run for political office.^[1]

Representatives of the Rastafari community have complained that legal restrictions such as the criminalization of cannabis and mandatory vaccination policies are contrary to their religious beliefs, although the government is also reportedly working with the community to reach a compromise on these issues. ^[1]

As of 2017, there have been no reports of significant societal breaches or abuses of the freedom of religion in Antigua and Barbuda according to the United States Department of State.^[1]

The Bahamas

The constitution of the Bahamas provides for the freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination based on belief. The country has no state religion, although the preamble to its constitution mentions "Christian values".^[2]

As of 2017, there have been no reports of significant societal breaches or abuses of the freedom of religion in the Bahamas according to the United States Department of State.^[2]

Barbados

The constitution of Barbados provides for the freedom of religion and prohibits discrimination based on creed.^[3]

There is a law against "blasphemous libel" but it is unenforced.^[3]

Religious groups are allowed to establish private schools and provide religious instruction, with some support from the government.

Religious groups are not required to register with the government, but may do so for tax purposes.^[3]

Muslims in Barbados have objected to being forced to pose without head coverings for identification and passport photographs. According to the government, these measures are purely for security reasons.^[3]

Canada

Religious freedom in Canada is a constitutionally protected right as part of Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, allowing believers the freedom to assemble and worship without limitation or interference.

There is no established church, however religious groups can qualify for tax-exemption. The amount of funding religious schools receive varies from province to province. In many provinces religious schools are government funded in the same way other independent schools are. In most parts of Canada there is a Catholic education system alongside the secular "public" education system. They all run on Catholic principles and include religious activities and instruction as a matter of course. They are not exclusively attended by practicing Catholics.{{Citation needed|date=October 2018}}

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which is entrenched in the Constitution, states in the preamble that Canada "is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law."^[4]

Freedom of religion as also guaranteed. The Supreme Court of Canada, in the case of Her Majesty The Queen in Right of Canada v. Big M Drug Mart Ltd., [1985] (1 S.C.R. 295) ruled that a 1906 statute that required most places to be closed on Sunday did not have a legitimate purpose in a "free and democratic society," and was an unconstitutional attempt to establish a religious-based closing law (see Blue law.)

Costa Rica

The constitution of Costa Rica establishes Roman Catholicism as the state religion and provides it with special privileges and funding. The constitution also prohibits the government from interfering with the free practice of religion, a provision that is respected in practice.^[5]

Religious groups with at least ten members may register with the government in order to be able to raise funds and own property. There is no penalty for not being registered, other than a lack of access to these privileges.^[5]

Religious marriage ceremonies other than those conducted by the Catholic Church are not recognized by the government. Couples married through such ceremonies must also obtain a civil union from a public notary in order to have their marriage legally recognized.^[5]

The government provides funding to private religious schools regardless of religion.^[5]

Cuba

The constitution of Cuba establishes the freedom of religion and prohibits religious discrimination.^[6]

Following the Cuban Revolution, in the 1960s Cuba's government polemicized against the Catholic Church, which was accused of being Francoist and anti-communist, and priests were imprisoned and harassed by the government. Additionally, the Communist Party of Cuba did not allow non-atheists to become party members.^[6] Since the 1980s, the government of Cuba has taken an increasingly permissive stance towards religious practice, first thawing relations with Protestant groups which were encouraged to practice their religion, and then later inviting the Pope John Paul II in the 90s to visit the country (all subsequent popes have made official visits to Cuba since then).^[6][7] The government, however, continues to restrict the Catholic Church's communications and only allows it to receive funding from sources that it approves.^[6]

Mexico

The Constitution of Mexico and other laws establish and protect the freedom of religion in Mexico.^[22]

A precedent of limiting the rights of the church – especially the Roman Catholic Church– was set by President Valentín Gómez Farías in 1833. Later, President Benito Juárez enacted a set of laws that came to be known as the Leyes de Reforma (or Reform laws) between 1859 and 1863 in the backdrop of the Reform War. These laws mandated, among other things, the separation of church and state, allowed for civil marriages and a civil registry, and confiscated the church's property.

Tensions also existed between the Roman Catholic Church and the post-Revolution Mexican government. Severe restrictions on the rights of the Church and members of the clergy were written into the country's 1917 constitution that led to the eruption of the Cristero War in 1926. In 1992 the government reestablished diplomatic relations with the Holy See and lifted almost all restrictions on the Catholic Church. This later action included granting all religious groups legal status, conceding them limited property rights, and lifting restrictions on the number of priests in the country. However, the law continues to mandate a strict separation of church and state. The constitution still bars members of the clergy from holding public office, advocating partisan political views, supporting political candidates, or opposing the laws or institutions of the state.

The constitution provides that education should avoid privileges of religion, and that one religion or its members may not be given preference in education over another. Religious instruction is prohibited in public schools; however, religious associations are free to maintain private schools, which receive no public funds.

Religious groups may not own or administer broadcast radio or television stations. Government permission is required for commercial broadcast radio or television to transmit religious programming.^[8]

Panama

The Constitution of Panama provides for freedom of religion, with some qualifications, and other laws and policies contribute to the generally free practice of religion. The law at all levels protects this right in full against abuse, either by governmental or private actors. The Government generally respects religious freedom in practice. In 2007, the US government received no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious affiliation, belief, or practice. The Constitution dictates that Catholicism be taught in public schools; however, parents have the right to exempt their children from religious instruction. The numerical predominance of Catholicism and the consideration given to it in the Constitution generally have not prejudiced other religious groups.^[9]

United States

In the 17th and 18th centuries, many Europeans emigrated to what would later become the United States. For some this was driven at least partly by the desire to worship freely in their own fashion. These included a large number of nonconformists such as the Puritans and the Pilgrims as well as English Catholics. However, with some exceptions, such as William Penn of Pennsylvania or the Roman Catholic Lord Baltimore in Maryland, most of these groups did not believe in religious toleration and in some cases came to America with the explicit aim of setting up an established religion.

Treatment of Native American religions

Despite the historical protection of the freedom of religion in the US body of law, these rights were not extended to Native Americans for much of US history. With the practice of the Americanization of Native Americans, Native American children were sent to Christian boarding schools where they were forced to worship as Christians and traditional customs were banned.^[10] Until the Freedom of Religion Act 1978, "spiritual leaders [of Native Americans] ran the risk of jail sentences of up to 30 years for simply practicing their rituals."^[11] The traditional indigenous Sun Dance was illegal from 1904 to the 1980s. Peyote, a hallucinogenic plant used in some Native American religious ceremonies, is illegal in the US,^[12] and access to other items used for ceremonies, such as eagle feathers, is restricted.^[13][14] Ancestral remains and lands also have a significant role in Native American religions, and access to both the land and physical remains (many of which are being held in museums) is limited.^[15]

Treatment of Jews

In 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported that 54.2% of hate crimes motivated by religious bias targeted Jews.^[16] Cultural changes from the 1960s onward into the 21st century have caused a large shift in general attitudes such that, in recent years, most Americans surveyed express positive viewpoints regarding Jews, whereas previously antisemitism was more common in American society.^[17] An ABC News report in 2007 recounted that about 6% of Americans reported some feelings of prejudice against Jews.^[18] According to surveys by the Anti-Defamation League in 2011, antisemitism is rejected by clear majorities of Americans, with 64% of them lauding Jews' cultural contributions to the nation in 2011, but still a minority holding hateful views of Jews remain, with 19% of Americans supporting the antisemitic canard that Jews co-control Wall Street.^[19] Holocaust denial has also only been a fringe phenomenon in recent years; {{As of|April 2018}} 96% of Americans believe the Holocaust occurred.^[20]

Treatment of Muslims

While discrimination along religious lines is officially illegal, discrimination and prejudice against Muslims is common in American society.^[21] Muslims face discrimination in the workplace,^[22] discrimination at airport security checkpoints,^[23] immigration hearings.^[24] Additionally, Muslims are subjected to harassment,^[25] and there have been incidents of deadly violence perpetrated against Muslims due to their religion.^{[26][27][28][29]} As a consequence of the Patriot Act, various bodies of the American government have explicitly engaged in the targeted surveillance and infiltration of Muslim communities.^[30][31] Studies have noted that Muslims are disproportionately negatively portrayed as violent in American media.^[32][33]

Treatment of atheists

In the United States, seven state constitutions include religious tests that would effectively prevent atheists from holding public office, and in some cases being a juror/witness, though these have not generally been enforced since the early twentieth century.^[34][35][36] Despite polling showing that nonbelievers make up an increasingly large part of the population there is only one public atheist in all of the state legislatures across the nation. Few politicians have been willing to acknowledge their lack of belief in supreme beings, since such revelations have been considered "political suicide".^[37][38] A 2015 Gallup survey found that 40% of Americans would not vote an atheist for president,^[39] and in polls prior to 2015, that number had reached about 50%.^[40][41]

References

• Crocidura littoralis
• Crocidura longipes
• Crocidura lucina
• Crocidura ludia
• Crocidura luna
• Crocidura lusitania
• Crocidura macarthuri
• Crocidura macmillani
• Crocidura macowi
• Crocidura malayana
• Crocidura manengubae
• Crocidura maquassiensis
• Crocidura mariquensis
• Crocidura maurisca
• Crocidura maxi
• Crocidura mindorus
• Crocidura minuta
• Crocidura miya
• Crocidura monax
• Crocidura monticola
• Crocidura montis
• Crocidura muricauda
• Crocidura mutesae
• Crocidura nana
• Crocidura nanilla