Constitution of The BahamasIn briefEveryone is free to hold, change and practise their religion or beliefs, with protections in schools and against forced oaths, subject to limited exceptions.
Except with his consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his freedom of conscience, and for the purposes of this Article the said freedom includes freedom of thought and of religion, freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others, and both in public and in private, to manifest and propagate his religion of belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
Without your consent, you cannot be hindered in enjoying your freedom of conscience. For the purposes of this Article, this freedom includes freedom of thought and of religion, freedom to change your religion or belief, and freedom, alone or together with others and in public or in private, to show and spread your religion or belief through worship, teaching, practice and observance.
Except with his consent (or, if he is a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years, the consent of his guardian) no person attending any place of education shall be required to receive religious instruction or to take part in or attend any religious ceremony or observance of that instruction, ceremony or observance relates to a religion other than his own.
No person attending any place of education can be required to receive religious instruction, or to take part in or attend any religious ceremony or observance, if that instruction, ceremony or observance relates to a religion other than their own, unless the person consents (or, if the person is under eighteen years of age, their guardian consents).
No religious body or denomination shall be prevented from or hindered in providing religious instruction for persons of that body of denomination in the course of any education provided by that body or denomination whether or not that body or denomination is in receipt of any government subsidy, grant or other form of financial assistance designed to meet, in whole or in part, the cost of such course of education.
No religious body or denomination can be prevented from or hindered in providing religious instruction for people of that body or denomination as part of any education it provides, whether or not it receives a government subsidy, grant or other financial help intended to meet all or part of the cost of that education.
No person shall be compelled to take any oath which is contrary to his religion or belief of to take any oath in a manner which is contrary to his religion or belief.
No one can be forced to take an oath that goes against their religion or belief, or to take an oath in a way that goes against their religion or belief.
Nothing contained in or done under the authority of any law shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this Article to the extent that the law in question makes provision which is reasonably required-
A law, and anything done under it, is not treated as inconsistent with or in breach of this Article to the extent that the law makes provision that is reasonably required:
in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health; or
in the interests of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health; or
for the purpose of protecting the rights and freedoms of other persons, including the right to observe and practice any religion without the unsolicited interference of member of any other religion, and except so far as that provision or, as the case may be, the thing done under the authority thereof is shown not to be reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.
to protect the rights and freedoms of other people, including the right to observe and practise any religion without unwanted interference from members of any other religion. This exception does not apply if the provision, or the thing done under it, is shown not to be reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.