Saying Atheism will become the global religion is like saying abstinence will become the world's favorite sexual position.

Your statement is a paradox. Atheism is the rejection of religion. Not a competing religion.

Well, if Apple makes 25 million and pays 10 million in taxes....fair, would also be 10 million of Billy's 25 million.

Instead...it's a big fat whopping ZERO.

In my opinion....he should be paying at least as much tax as:

1. A minimum wage paperboy on his first week of work at the age of 14

2. A minimum wage burger flipper on his first week of work at the age of 15

3. A minimum wage grovery cashier on her first week of work at the age of 16.

In my opinion, if you own a 25 million dollar house, you should have paid as many taxes as these professions here....not less....

Meant to say "belief system"

If he were a manager or CEO or even owner of a big company that paid taxes, that served all of society (not just his own special interests), and he had given the EXACT SAME opinion - would he have been allowed to retain his position?

You're very confused. Billy Graham probably paid more in taxes during his life than you'll earn in yours (adjusting for inflation). He didn't live a tax free life. That's idiotic.

Except.with atheism, there is no belief.

So 40 percent?

That is damn high. What right does the government or anyone have to that money?

So basically, you are saying money is the most important thing?

Glad to know where your values reside.

You seem to be really high on "taxes". Okay - let's look at your examples, shall we?

(1) No paper boy makes "minimum wage" However, if they did, they would owe nothing own taxes. Or at least they didn't when I had a paper route in the 50s. I had to deliver papers and then collect from the dead beat customers.

(2) A minimum wage burger flipper (you seem to mention burger flippers quite a lot - is that your occupation?) owes next to nothing in his year end taxes and will owe absolutely nothing with the new tax code.

(3) A minimum wage grocery cashier is in the same boat as the burger flipper. Minimum wage being the "high water" mark here.

I have to assume that you are a young guy, freshly into the job market. We've all been there. I started out in life as a dishwasher at a local Holiday Inn when I was 14. Made $.50 cents per hour - there was no "minimum wage" then. I joined the Army and went to Viet Nam as an Infantryman. Stayed in the Army for the next 24 years. Retired from the Army and went to work for a civilian company. When I retired from my working life - I was making in excess of $97,000 per year. Was I rich? No. Did I pay my FAIR share in taxes? Absolutely.

I am curious as to why you hold those who are considered "rich" in such disdain? Is it jealously? Perhaps envy? Only you can answer that. Here's what I do, however, know. Going through life being concerned about "what every one else does or doesn't do" is an unhealthy existence.

Put religious bias aside. I know it's a cliche' but worry about those things YOU can do something about, not what others are doing. If you can do that, and only that, you will have your hands full, believe me. Stop all the hand-wringing about the rich. It's a waste of time.

There have been "rich" and there have been "poor" as long as humans have been on this planet. It's never going to change.

What right do that they have to take it from Apple, or Chevron, or Exxon Mobile???

Oh, that's right, they're profitable AND non religious.

We woudn't want Billy Graham to have to pay for roads or bridges or little kids school supplies the way a paperboy, a burger flipper, grocery store clerk should have to, for fear of imprisonment - that would be ungodly to help non Christians with his tax breaks!

Considering he had 25 millions worth of earning at the time of his death NOT including his real estate....I would HOPE he would pay more income tax than I did.

But...he didn't! Where' your link? All the other Christians in this thread keep saying "law says he doesn't pay income tax, that's his right, you wouldnt' either if you were him".

Fact is, Billy was an anti-semite, and a homophobe, who spent his life's efforts redistributing finances from the pockets of stupid people into his own, while paying as little (if any) taxes as possible.

Paperboy's who deliver papers to persons of all faith, burger flippers who feed persons of all faith, store cashiers who help persons of all faith - these are ALL better people than Billy Graham, and lived more Christian lives than Billy Graham, and helped more people from more walks of life than Billy Graham.

On Feb. 1, 1972, unaware of Nixon’s Oval Office taping system, when Nixon ranted about how Jews “totally dominated” the media, Graham said “this stranglehold has got to be broken or this country is going down the drain.” He also told Nixon that Jews are “the ones putting out the pornographic stuff.”

https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/comme...or-theologian/

99 percent of professions pay taxes towards safe roads, staffed schools, fire and police protection.

Billy Graham and Joel Olsteen and all the other Professional Religious Conmen lobbied their whole lives o avoid paying taxes on safe roads, staffed schools, fire and police protection. Not because they are godly christians - but because they are greedy scumbags.

My values reside in helping my fellow man, regardless of their faith, and in paying taxes. Billy's values resided in fleecing stupid people out of their money, promoting his own brand of faith above all others, and not paying a dime towards safe roads, staffed schools, fire or police protection for his community - so he could keep it all for himself.

I don't. If Apple makes 25 millions they pay 10 million in taxes, to help fund safe roads, staffed schools, fire and police protection for thier communities. As it should be, and I'm not jealous of that.

I DO hold charlatans like Billy in disdain, as when they make 25 million, they pay ZERO in taxes.

Do you understand why taxing a non religious corporation 10 million and letting the religious corporation pay zero on the same profit would seem unfair to persons without faith???

I agree that Going through life being concerned about "what every one else does or doesn't do" is an unhealthy existence

But Billy lobbied his whole life to make sure his kids and the Joel Olsteens of the world continue to pay zero dollars on 25 million in profits.....that's a scumbag's legacy. I don't envision myself harping about a $30k a year preacher paying zero in income tax while the $30,000 a year auto mechanic pays $6 or $8k (even though we both know thats BS too). But Billy paid zero on 25 mil....it deserves to be brought to attention. And if you werne't Christian yourself, me pointing that out wouldn't bother you at all whatsoever.

Where's your link, sport? You don't know how the tax code works. Ministers do get some pretty good tax breaks, but the vast majority of Graham's personal income was subject to income tax.

To the extent that it wasn't, it's because Congress decided that it was important to incentivize ministers to minister. Just because you don't like the rules, you shouldn't blame the people who follow them.