Freedom of religion in North America by country information
Religious freedom laws in North American countries
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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.
Every country in North America includes provisions for the freedom of religion or freedom of conscience in its constitution. Several countries also have formally outlawed discrimination on religious grounds,[1][2][3] and according to US State Department reports many countries in the region have no outstanding issues regarding breaches of religious freedom due to government intervention or societal pressure.[4] Seven countries have blasphemy laws which have been part of their legal codes since the British colonial era, but which are not currently enforced. Rastafarians face discrimination and obstacles to religious practice in many countries in the region, often due in part to countries outlawing cannabis, which is used in Rastafarian religious rituals.[3] Roman Catholicism is the state religion of a few countries in North America,[5][6] and a couple more provide preferential treatment to the Catholic Church despite not officially establishing it as a state religion.[7][8]
^US State Department, 2022 report on Jamaica
^US State Department, 2022 report on Nicaragua
^ abUS State Dept, 2022 report on Bahamas
^US State Department 2022, report on Antigua and Barbuda
^US State Department, 2022 report on Costa Rica
^US State Department, 2022 report on the Dominican Republic
^US State Department, 2022 report on Guatemala
^US State Department, 2022 report on Haiti
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