I'm still having troubles with the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Why does the Church insist on this dogma, and doesn't it contradict the Bible?

Recall that there are three common objections to the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception which are made by modern Protestants in general and Evangelicals and Fundamentalists in particular:

• Only God is sinless. So if Catholics believe that Mary is sinless too, does that not mean that Catholics make Mary into God (or a god)? Jesus was sinless because He Is God.
• Isn't sin a part of human nature? Then how can Catholics believe that Mary was conceived without sin?
• Doesn't the Bible itself tell us that all of us are sinners—and so doesn't this belief necessarily contradict the Bible?

There may be a number of other less-frequent objections, but, as I have mentioned before, to treat every objection would require too much time for even a short series of posts (or RCIA sessions). In the previous installments of this short series, I considered in turn the doctrine of original sin and what the Church teaches concerning the Immaculate Conception, and then I replied to the first two objections. Today, I would like to wrap-up by considering a few of the Biblical verses concerning this doctrine.

I'm having troubles with the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Why does the Church insist on this dogma, and doesn't it contradict the Bible? Also, if Mary is sinless, then how is she not God (or at least a god)?

In talking a number of my friends who have converted from Protestantism—in particular, Baptist, Evangelical, or Fundamentalist forms of Protestantism—to Catholicism, I've found that there are certain doctrines or dogmas which are always last to be accepted. The Marian doctrines are always among these, and I suspect that if they had to name one doctrine which was hardest of those, it would be the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. The objections aren't always the same, but many are similar:

• Only God is sinless. So if Catholics believe that Mary is sinless too, does that not mean that Catholics make Mary into God (or a god)? Jesus was sinless because He Is God.
• Isn't sin a part of human nature? Then how can Catholics believe that Mary was conceived without sin?
• Doesn't the Bible itself tell us that all of us are sinners—and so doesn't this belief necessarily contradict the Bible?

These are the main objections, though there are also a number of questions which get associated with these, and there are a number of "minor" objections held by different individuals which are no less potent (for those individuals) for not being widespread. Actually to deal extensively with these three "major" objections (let alone the "minor" ones) and to explain the meaning the of dogma, etc would be more than could be dealt with by one post or one RCIA session (etc.) [1].

What is "original sin," and what do Catholics mean by saying that Saint Mary was preserved from the stains of original sin?

There are two kinds of sin: original and actual [1]. Original sin is the direct effect of the fall—we are all "born this way"--and it is normally remitted through the waters of baptism. Actual sins are any sins which we ourselves commit [2]. Anything which you have done which is evil, or anything which you should have done which was good and chose not to do is an actual sin. These sins are normally remitted through confession. It is ultimately Christ's suffering and death which atone for both kinds of sin, and through His resurrection that we are able to be reconciled with God; thanks to these things we may be justified before God (BC2 Q102; see [0]).

So what is original sin, and what are its effects? Original sin is the state into which we come into being at our conception as a result of the fall. It basically means that we have fallen from the state of preternatural grace into which our first parents were created. It is not something which we acquire directly through our own personal fault, but rather is something which is transmitted to us though our parents (and to them though their parents, and so on). The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains original sin thus:
"Although it is proper to each individual, original sin does not have the character of a personal fault in any of Adam's descendants. It is a deprivation of original holiness and justice, but human nature has not been totally corrupted: it is wounded in the natural powers proper to it, subject to ignorance, suffering and the dominion of death, and inclined to sin - an inclination to evil that is called concupiscence". Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ's grace, erases original sin and turns a man back towards God, but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to spiritual battle" (CCC 405).

What is "original sin," and what do Catholics mean by saying that Saint Mary was preserved from the stains of original sin?

There are two kinds of sin: original and actual [1]. Original sin is the direct effect of the fall—we are all "born this way"--and it is normally remitted through the waters of baptism. Actual sins are any sins which we ourselves commit [2]. Anything which you have done which is evil, or anything which you should have done which was good and chose not to do is an actual sin. These sins are normally remitted through confession. It is ultimately Christ's suffering and death which atone for both kinds of sin, and through His resurrection that we are able to be reconciled with God; thanks to these things we may be justified before God (BC2 Q102; see [0]).

So what is original sin, and what are its effects? Original sin is the state into which we come into being at our conception as a result of the fall. It basically means that we have fallen from the state of preternatural grace into which our first parents were created. It is not something which we acquire directly through our own personal fault, but rather is something which is transmitted to us though our parents (and to them though their parents, and so on). The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains original sin thus:
"Although it is proper to each individual, original sin does not have the character of a personal fault in any of Adam's descendants. It is a deprivation of original holiness and justice, but human nature has not been totally corrupted: it is wounded in the natural powers proper to it, subject to ignorance, suffering and the dominion of death, and inclined to sin - an inclination to evil that is called concupiscence". Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ's grace, erases original sin and turns a man back towards God, but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to spiritual battle" (CCC 405).