Woman’s Will, Prepared by Seventh-Day Adventist Church to Pay Itself and Exclude Her Kids

[Skwim]

"Pepe Pasetaria Matthes, a New Zealander who died last year, supposedly left $180,000 and a home in South Auckland to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, while her adopted children received nothing. Making matters more complicated, another $300,000 was taken from her account just weeks before her death.

A makeshift will prepared for an Auckland woman by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church has been rejected by a High Court judge.

Under the Wills Act 2007 the High Court could declare a [Personal Profile Document] valid if it showed “the deceased person’s testamentary intentions”, but in declining to validate it, Justice Davidson noted the lapse of time between its signing and her death, and her lack of follow up.

“That leaves me with very real doubt that the PPD remained her testamentary intent.​

“I am not at all satisfied that it did, indeed to the contrary.”

If the church were able to succeed here, it would be a pretty terrifying precedent. The religious group prepared this PPD, which is not an officially certified will, then said she intended for the money to go to the church while leaving out her own children. If the $300,000 was taken by them as well, we have an even bigger issue. (It wouldn’t be the first time a church leader swindled someone out of her life savings.)"
source

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How Christian of them.

.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

This really p***es me the f*** off. So these adopted kids are left with absolutely nothing? When my mother passed she left me and my brother an equal share as it should be. I certainly can count on one hand how many "true Christians" I've met in my life and if this is true, what type of church does not consider the children involved?

 

[Twilight Hue]

People ought to realize the church is not your family nor should be considered as such.

They don't love you , they don't support you. They don't and will not pay your bills but will take your money. You don't owe them anything including tithes.

 

[Stanyon]

Peoples parents owe them nothing after death, it's their money to do with what they want. If it were a swindle by the church hopefully it gets figured out but for a child to expect something after death is pretty selfish, it's their money to do with what they want. Maybe the adopted children were greedy litlle jerks who couldn't wait for her to die so they could get a paycheck, we will never know.

 

[Father Heathen]

People ought to realize the church is not your family nor should be considered as such.

They don't love you , they don't support you. They don't and will not pay your bills but will take your money. You don't owe them anything including tithes.

Hit the nail on the head.

 

[Father Heathen]

Peoples parents owe them nothing after death, it's their money to do with what they want. If it were a swindle by the church hopefully it gets figured out but for a child to expect something after death is pretty selfish, it's their money to do with what they want. Maybe the adopted children were greedy litlle jerks who couldn't wait for her to die so they could get a paycheck, we will never know.

Could be, but I wouldn't be surprised if church elders were manipulating her during her final days.

 

[Jumi]

How Christian of them..

This kind of thing isn't that rare for cults.

 

[Jumi]

Peoples parents owe them nothing after death, it's their money to do with what they want. If it were a swindle by the church hopefully it gets figured out but for a child to expect something after death is pretty selfish, it's their money to do with what they want. Maybe the adopted children were greedy litlle jerks who couldn't wait for her to die so they could get a paycheck, we will never know.

So you'd rather trust a group that has template wills that they fish with among elderly and sick to get money.

 

[Stanyon]

So you'd rather trust a group that has template wills that they fish with among elderly and sick to get money.

I didn't say I trusted any of them, as FH said it is possible that she was manipulated by representatives of the church which if that was/is the case hopefully it get's figured out but then where does the money go. The state? I am not familiar with how it works in NZ but I imagine the money would go to the govt. If no one is named as heirs. I have also seen from my assessment adult children manipulate parents as well. I feel the ideal is that the survivors don't expect a dime and the parent or parents show good judgement. I guess the moral of the story is to get your affairs in order because you never know when the end will come.

 

[Jollybear]

I didn't say I trusted any of them, as FH said it is possible that she was manipulated by representatives of the church which if that was/is the case hopefully it get's figured out but then where does the money go. The state? I am not familiar with how it works in NZ but I imagine the money would go to the govt. If no one is named as heirs. I have also seen from my assessment adult children manipulate parents as well. I feel the ideal is that the survivors don't expect a dime and the parent or parents show good judgement. I guess the moral of the story is to get your affairs in order because you never know when the end will come.

If it goes to the state thats the worst option. The government is the worst mafia, legal theif in history. They are the devil of hell.

I know a man whos mom died, her house was debt free. She didnt get around to thinking of making a will. Her and the son got along well. Lo and behold, the government steels the house and dont let her son have it.

Pure evil.

 

[djconklin]

"Pepe Pasetaria Matthes, a New Zealander who died last year, supposedly left $180,000 and a home in South Auckland to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, while her adopted children received nothing. Making matters more complicated, another $300,000 was taken from her account just weeks before her death.

A makeshift will prepared for an Auckland woman by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church has been rejected by a High Court judge.

Under the Wills Act 2007 the High Court could declare a [Personal Profile Document] valid if it showed “the deceased person’s testamentary intentions”, but in declining to validate it, Justice Davidson noted the lapse of time between its signing and her death, and her lack of follow up.

“That leaves me with very real doubt that the PPD remained her testamentary intent.​

“I am not at all satisfied that it did, indeed to the contrary.”

If the church were able to succeed here, it would be a pretty terrifying precedent. The religious group prepared this PPD, which is not an officially certified will, then said she intended for the money to go to the church while leaving out her own children. If the $300,000 was taken by them as well, we have an even bigger issue. (It wouldn’t be the first time a church leader swindled someone out of her life savings.)"
source​

How Christian of them.

.

While I wait for confirmation, or denial, I would like to point out one bit of duplicity in the article:
>“The church does not otherwise encourage people to make large bequests to the church where there are children,” the pastor told the court.
>>From the pastor’s own mouth, we can see that the church is in the business of writing people’s wills and encouraging them to leave large amounts to the church.
The italicized part is a lie, given what they supposedly quoted. Why did they do that?

Two items were left out in the OP:

1) A judge has now nullified the document. [So, nothing of the sort happened.]
2) "Typically the church advised parents on the requirement of providing for their children and the possibility of them making a claim if left out, however it appeared to the pastor the relationship was distant and they wouldn’t expect an inheritance, the ruling said."

 

[sooda]

"Pepe Pasetaria Matthes, a New Zealander who died last year, supposedly left $180,000 and a home in South Auckland to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, while her adopted children received nothing. Making matters more complicated, another $300,000 was taken from her account just weeks before her death.

A makeshift will prepared for an Auckland woman by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church has been rejected by a High Court judge.

Under the Wills Act 2007 the High Court could declare a [Personal Profile Document] valid if it showed “the deceased person’s testamentary intentions”, but in declining to validate it, Justice Davidson noted the lapse of time between its signing and her death, and her lack of follow up.

“That leaves me with very real doubt that the PPD remained her testamentary intent.​

“I am not at all satisfied that it did, indeed to the contrary.”

If the church were able to succeed here, it would be a pretty terrifying precedent. The religious group prepared this PPD, which is not an officially certified will, then said she intended for the money to go to the church while leaving out her own children. If the $300,000 was taken by them as well, we have an even bigger issue. (It wouldn’t be the first time a church leader swindled someone out of her life savings.)"
source
​

How Christian of them.

.

Did you know the SDA were Millerites?

 

[Skwim]

Two items were left out in the OP:

1) A judge has now nullified the document. [So, nothing of the sort happened.]

Well the document was certainly real, so just what "nothing of the sort of happened?

2) "Typically the church advised parents on the requirement of providing for their children and the possibility of them making a claim if left out, however it appeared to the pastor the relationship was distant and they wouldn’t expect an inheritance, the ruling said."

I fail to see how this is relevant. Any pastor without a larcenous motive would immediately see the relationship between the parents and their adopted children was NOT distant. Hell, even a fourth grade child could see this.

.

 

[Skwim]

Did you know the SDA were Millerites?

Boy, that makes three things I didn't know.

.

 

[sooda]

Boy, that makes three things I didn't know.

.

Yeah.. SDA is a young denomination.

 

[djconklin]

Well the document was certainly real, so just what "nothing of the sort of happened?

The judge nullified the "contract."

I fail to see how this is relevant. Any pastor without a larcenous motive

That is an assumption. Where's the evidence?

would immediately see the relationship between the parents and their adopted children was NOT distant. Hell, even a fourth grade child could see this..

Where's the proof? As I noted: "Typically the church advised parents on the requirement of providing for their children and the possibility of them making a claim if left out, however it appeared to the pastor the relationship was distant and they wouldn’t expect an inheritance, the ruling said." i.e., the JUDGE reported what it seemed to be to the pastor.

 

[djconklin]

Did you know the SDA were Millerites?

The Millerites were around in the 1840's. The SDA church didn't form until 1862.

 

[sooda]

The Millerites were around in the 1840's. The SDA church didn't form until 1862.

You can read their history here:

William Miller (preacher) - Wikipedia

 

[djconklin]

You can read their history here:

William Miller (preacher) - Wikipedia

Yep! {I see that I was off by a year on when the SDA church was founded!}

 

[sooda]

Yep! {I see that I was off by a year on when the SDA church was founded!}

It appears that the Millerites became the Adventists .. became the 7 Day Adventists.. Then the Branch Davidians evolved.