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I loved the typo: "I fund (sic) that once a misconstrued or misstated quote gets into public discussion...." Can that man even think of anything else?

This is an unfunny hoax. Buffett can write in complete, coherent sentences unlike your hoaxer. I'd also be willing to wager all of Buffett's fortune that he'd never question the existence of heaven in a letter that could become public (especially in a letter to a Jesuit priest).

The average income of your readers remains $35,000.

Well guys, what kind of envelope did this come in? Is it a hoax or not?

Well, the sender would have had to fake a Berkshire Hathaway IP as well as an @BRKA.com email for Buffett's assistant. Now, granted, some of the Cult of Buffett people are probably crazy and technically gifted enough to do that. But the odds are overwhelmingly against it.

Which means: you owe us all of Buffett's fortune. Checks can be made out to DEAD HORSE MEDIA, LLC.

I should also add that I don't find the letter the least bit controversial, public or no. It's a good and entirely reasonable response.

And if Buffett's belief in the existence or nonexistence of heaven materially affects your outlook on BRK-A, I think it's safe to assume you're not a serious investor.

Funny theology. He clearly believes that heaven is that special place where all all stocks go up.

As one of a huge number of amateur Buffett watchers, I can say that the letter is written in a manner that is unerringly consistent with his personal correspondence, including the "fund" / "find" typo (his own letters often include such typographical mistakes, but rarely actual misspellings or meaningful grammatical errors). Also, the attempt to correct a misperception in this way is something he has done before. For example, see his October 2003 letter to the Wall Street Journal attempting to clarify a quote taken from an interview he gave.

This letter is not a hoax.

When reading the letter, it's important to note that Buffett is an atheist. He doesn't have occasion to advertise that fact, because he doesn't get involved in theological debates as part of his work at Berkshire. However, anyone who has written about Buffett has come to the conclusion that he's an atheist.

For instance, see Roger Lowenstein's excellent biography, "Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist" where the following is written of Warren's early experience in church: "He did not subscribe to his family's religion. Even at a young age he was too mathematical, too logical, to make the leap of faith…He adopted his father's ethical underpinnings, but not his belief in an unseen divinity."

Lowenstein relates another story about Buffett's religious beliefs: "Wood, intrigued that Buffet had read the Bible three or four times and remained agnostic, could not resist trying to convert him. They had the usual debates about faith and the afterlife, but Buffett was immovable."

Buffett has described himself as being agnostic.

The fact that he has said (to Charlie Rose) that he would happily exchange the last few years of living his life on this earth if it meant he could have a great many years of simply observing life on this earth also hints at his atheism.

He doesn't believe in an eternal soul. He doesn't believe in heaven or hell.

So, while people are certainly free to analyze and criticize the motives for his gift, the idea that his gift has anything to do with the afterlife is absurd. He writes "if there is such a place", because he's an atheist writing to a priest. He doesn't believe there is such a place, but he knows the priest does.

Saying that Buffett is agnostic probably doesn't go far enough. From his own words (both written and spoken), it's clear he believes his existence will end with his death. Therefore, "getting into heaven" isn't his motivation for doing anything.