Faith Q&A: Can you explain the concept of original sin?

Reader's Question: Can you explain the concept of original sin, and does this mean that we are all born sinners?

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The Rev. Duke Tufty, pastor, Unity Temple on the Plaza, Kansas City, Mo.:

The concept of original sin theorizes that Adam sinned by eating the forbidden fruit; we are all descendants of Adam; therefore, we have inherited a genetic disposition of "sinfulness" from Adam.

Quite simply this means that we were born sinners and will continue to be sinners, and there is nothing we can do about it. This is absurd and an incredible…