Okay, I can appreciate your points Panzer, however I don't feel a police-person asking someone about their religion is innocent conversation.

What about the three things you don't discuss in polite society: Religion, Sex, and Politics.

As far as I'm concerned, as soon as someone in authority begins asking your views on any of these three they have gone way way way the f*** to far!

It *may* have been innocently making conversation. But, in the relation between authority and civilian, these topics are not innocent, ever. These are things that by their very nature bias people toward each other. Thus, they can no longer be an unbiased, figure of just authority. What if he had said "Mormons? F*** the F***ing Mormons, and Donny Osmond! Islam is the one true faith." ??? That's perfectly fine adult civilian to adult civilian, in private conversation, they don't like it, free speech, they shouldn't have asked. But, to a road-side cop? He'd be in Guantanamo before his engine cooled, if he was lucky.

Flatly put, "Do you enjoy cutting the grass" and "Are you a LDS" are no where near the same kind of question. A cop can ask me about my lawn all day long, but ask me about my soul, my loyality, or my love and they have crossed a line that will be less than politely rebuked.

Lets face it, Religion is the greatest cause of human death and suffering, aside from birth. This is not a light, polite, innocent, harmless topic. The 'wrong' answer has a history of making you worse than dead.

(I tried replying to this topic last week, but canceled it after I worked myself into such a lather about it, I felt best noone read it. This one is much cleaner, thanks for the post to focus be down a bit, Panzer :wink: .)

And, my advice, regardless of the ticket, would be to report the inapporpriate line of questioning to his superiors. Myself, I'd contact the ACLU, the editor of the local paper, their mayor, and chief of police. But, most people are not as willing to go that extra mile.