Most of the so-called Christian churches today teach the doctrine of original sin. Essentially, this doctrine is that all of us are born sinful onto this earth because of the original transgression of Adam and Eve. One church has explained the doctrine of original sin as follows:
On account of their sin Adam and Eve lost sanctifying grace, the right to heaven, and their special gifts; they became subject to death, to suffering, and to a strong inclination to evil. . . .On account of the sin of Adam, we, his descendants, come into the world deprived of sanctifying grace and inherit his punishment, . . .
This sin in us is called original sin. It is the state in which every descendant of Adam comes into the world, totally deprived of grace, through inheriting the punishment, not of Adam's personal sin, but of his sin as head of the human race. . . .
Because of original sin, heaven was closed to all men until the death of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord instituted the sacrament of Baptism in order to restore to us the right to heaven that Adam had lost.
. . . only Baptism can remit original sin; no one with any taint can enter heaven. (Louis LaVoire Morrow, My Catholic Faith [Kenosha, Wisc.: My Mission House, 1963], pp. 48-49, 269.)
As indicated in the last sentence of the above statement, the many churches that believe in the doctrine of original sin also usually teach that original sin can be removed only through baptism. Such teachings deny the right of unbaptized people, including unbaptized infants, to gain the presence of God (heaven). However, the Book of Mormon prophets clearly and definitely teach that the atonement of Jesus Christ fully atones: (1) for the original transgression of Adam and Eve, (2) for the sins of unbaptized infants who die before they are accountable, and (3) for the sins of all people who die without having an opportunity to receive the "will of God concerning them." In his famous discourse on the atonement, King Benjamin says concerning the Savior: ". . . his blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned." (Mosiah 3:11.)