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If you have any problem during your trip to Buenos Aires call the police emergency number (101) and they will switch you to someone speaking your language. In addition, there is a police station at the downtown (tourist police station) specially dedicated to serve and protect tourists (Corrientes 436. Phone 4346-5748)
US State Dept. travel warning for U.S. Citizens
Once you've arrived to the BA airport, you should avoid some guys inside the airport that offer you "a car" (even if they are wearing some kind of uniform) because these people are offering you irregular transport and the results could be devastating for you. You've better take one of the following options:
1. Go to the desk of official taxis or "remise" (which are non luxury limousines) and prepay your trip there. Taxis and chauffeur-driven rental cars authorized to operate at the International Airport have a stand inside the terminal, right out of Customs and Immigration. People at the stand will guide you to the car
2. Go to the desk of "Manuel Tienda Leon" or "Ecuador" for a regular bus to BA (or BA to Ezeiza), which is scheduled every 45 minutes. Both agencies also have car service and their headquarters are in Plaza San Martín, in the most elegant part of the Downtown.
3. Arrange with us a VIP service and we will send a special car to pick you up. The price will be U$S 50 for two persons and, if you give us previous notice, we can arrange a van for more people.
Buenos Aires is a friendly town but as most of megalopolis there are all kind of people, including some bad guys. So, it is wise to abstain from contact them. I'm sure you will have no problems but, in case you want to learn something about illegal things, I will give you some clues to help you out:
The Federal Police is in charge of security and traffic control but there are many places with private security and some portions of the city have a private traffic control. So, even if you see cars parked in wrong places you shouldn't do that because porteños know the unspoken rules and you don't.
It is possible a free communication with 101 (which is the emergency police number) in public phones. If you don't speak spanish, use english and ask for someone that can answer you.
Unless you are coming for an important social event (in which case you shouldn't be reading this), don't even think to bring with you expensive jewelry or watches. You may wear bijou because most of local women do it. If you want, you can buy it here in many stores or even better (because you will have a unique design), direct from the artisan in mini-shops located in places, streets and sidewalks.
Almost all hotels have safety box and you must leave there your valuables. You don't need to have your driver's license or passport with you unless your are going to make some kind of administrative arrangement (rent or drive a car, etc). You will need your credit card (Most restaurants and stores take plastic) and some cash because it is usual that taxis and things valued in U$S 10 or less should be paid in cash.
Avoid dark or isolated areas specially by night (after 10 PM) and the downtown after 7:00 PM.
As we have a form of robbery called "arrebato" (in which someone grab your possessions and pull strongly in the moment the train or metro moves on or from a bike or running on foot) you never should carry your purse, camera or camcorder swinging from your arm because besides to be burglarized you can be hurt. See how porteñas block with her arm the things to avoid to robbed. Put your money apart from your purse. If you need to bring expensive things, consider an insurance but it is important to appear like any one in the city and do not call the attention looking like a potential victim. So, don't show your money, don't mess with your wallet and even worst, don't keep it in the back pocket of your slacks. Keep the exact change in hand.
Buses and subways are safe except from "pick pockets" (tricky thieves that put their fingers in your pocket during the trip). As it is very difficult to notice they are doing that, my advice is to have money and ID in pocket difficult to explore. Please keep in mind that we are talking here about buses during the day and with a bunch of people inside.
If you pick-up someone, don't take him/her to your hotel room. Although usually there are no problems if you go to your partner place, it is my strong advice to go a "albergue transitorio" (honeymoon hotel or hotel by hour) which is the most safe place to go if you are with someone unknown. They are used to deal with problems of different kind and are very discreet. Take a taxi and ask the driver for one of them (Here even old ladies know where to find them).
Don't get involved with fights or illegal drugs. Even locals never know how these matters will end up. So, get out of the scene as soon as possible. Drinking alcohol is legal unless you are under 18 (In practice, this is not true) but marihuana and the rest of substances are really illegal so you better be careful if you "bring something with you".
Another form of delict is called "salideras" (at the gate of the bank) and means that someone watch you to cash money and give notice to their partners outside the bank. When you walk out, they will take your the cash from you. Advice: Inside the bank do not show the money to the public (if it is a big quantity you can ask the bank to pay you in private room). Once at the door of the bank, walk against the traffic, don't pick the first cab you see, and don't put the money in your purse because it can be grabbed and pulled out from you.
Negligent at the bar o restaurant ("descuido"): You sit down to eat or drink something and hang your purse or coat at the back of your chair. The person at the next table explore your belongings while you are cheerful chatting with your company.
Being robbed in a cab ("maffia de los taxis"): You take a cab and few blocks later two pirates get into the cab and rip you and the driver off (the driver is part of the plot). Advise: Take only radiotaxis or particular company's cars. You can have plenty phone number at your hotel (by the way, as these cars are really cheap, you may think to contract one of them instead to rent a car while you are in BA).
"Cleaners" ("mostaceros" which means they use mustard): Accidentally hey spill something on you and, being very sorry, they try to clean the mess on you. Well, they will clean your valuables too. Advice: Do not allow unknown people to touch you or put you in an unusual situation. Anyway, they are not physically dangerous.
In the worst case that you are approached by some criminal element, try to keep calm and pretend you understand no spanish but don't make them get mad. Give them your money, do not show opposition but don't go with them anywhere.
Conclusions: BA is like one other big city. Use your common sense and ask to your guide or hotel and you will OK.
There are no problems at all in relation with religion in BA. It is the third city in the world in number of jews and here there are a lot of arabian origin people, with churches and ministers. Porteños are mainly educated in catholic tradition but most of them do not go to church and do not bother with religious issues. In fact, they care less of religion than USA americans (By the way, people here are very aware that american means "from America" and not from USA). So I can guarantee that you will not have religious problems unless you ask really hard for them.