The Eternal Question: Exploring Faith, Science, and the Afterlife

The Questions That Changed Everything – Part 1

Chapter 1: The Questions That Changed Everything

I wasn’t looking for answers. At least, not yet. Like many people, I grew up believing what I was taught—that God’s name is Jehovah, that the Bible is the complete Word of God, and that questioning too much could lead to losing faith. But everything changed the day I stumbled upon a book that challenged everything I thought I knew.

I don’t remember the exact title, but I found it on Pinterest while scrolling through posts about biblical mysteries. It talked about something I had never heard before—missing books of the Bible. It mentioned the Book of Enoch, a text that some say was removed from the Bible.

At first, I thought it was just another conspiracy theory. But then I started reading.

The Book of Enoch: A Forbidden Text?

The Book of Enoch is said to have been written by Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. It describes angels (the Watchers) coming to Earth, having children with human women, and teaching forbidden knowledge—things like astrology, warfare, and magic. According to some scholars, this was one of the reasons God sent the Great Flood (Genesis 6:1-4).

But if this book had such deep connections to biblical events, why wasn’t it included in the Bible? Who decided which books were “holy” and which ones were left out?

Are We Missing Parts of God’s Word?

The more I researched, the more I found out that many ancient texts were removed or lost over time. These include:

• The Gospel of Thomas – Said to contain Jesus’ secret teachings.

• The Book of Jubilees – A deeper version of Genesis.

• The Book of Enoch – Once accepted by early Christians but later banned.

This raised an even bigger question: Did God intend for these books to be hidden, or did men decide what we should and shouldn’t read? The First Time I Questioned Everything

That’s when the real doubt hit me. If certain books were removed from the Bible, how could I be sure I was reading the full truth?

I had always been taught that the Bible was the complete and perfect Word of God. But now I was asking myself:

• Who chose which books stayed and which ones were removed?

• Could the truth about God be bigger than what we’ve been told?

• What else have we been taught that might not be the full story?

For the first time in my life, I realized I didn’t just want to believe—I wanted to know.

And that’s when my real journey began.

Chapter 2: Who Created the Universe? Science vs. Genesis

After learning about the missing books of the Bible, my mind was already filled with doubt. If parts of God’s Word had been removed, what else might we be missing? That’s when another question took hold of me—one that had been debated for centuries:

Who really created the universe?

I grew up believing the words of Genesis 1:1—“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” It was simple. God spoke, and the universe was born. But science tells a different story—one of a massive explosion, the Big Bang, that started everything.

Could both be true? Or was one side wrong?

The Big Bang: A Universe Without God?

Science says the universe began around 13.8 billion years ago with an event called the Big Bang—a single moment where all matter and energy burst into existence. Over billions of years, galaxies formed, planets took shape, and life eventually emerged on Earth.

At first, I dismissed it. How could something so complex happen by accident? But then I realized: even some religious people believe that the Big Bang could have been God’s way of creating the universe.

And that led me to my next question:

Does science disprove God, or does it actually prove His power?

Genesis vs. Science: A Timeline Conflict

One of the biggest reasons people struggle with religion vs. science is the timeline problem.

• The Bible says God created the world in six days (Genesis 1).

• Science says the universe took billions of years to form.

• The Bible says humans were created from dust.

• Science says humans evolved over millions of years.

These differences made me wonder—is the Bible meant to be taken literally, or could it be symbolic?

The Role of Faith vs. Evidence

I realized that science and faith approach truth in completely different ways:

• Science relies on proof—things that can be tested and measured.

• Faith relies on belief—trusting in something even without physical evidence.

Jesus himself said in John 20:29, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” But does that mean we shouldn’t ask questions?

Because at that moment, I couldn’t stop asking:

• What if Genesis wasn’t meant to explain science, but rather God’s power?

• Could God have used the Big Bang to create the universe?

• Or is science missing something deeper that only faith can explain?

The Search for Truth Continues

Instead of finding answers, I found more questions. And I realized that faith and science don’t have to be enemies—maybe they are two sides of the same truth.

Some scientists believe the universe was created by accident. But deep inside, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something greater had to be behind it all.

Genesis 1:3 says, “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”

What if that moment was the Big Bang?

Closing Thought

I wasn’t ready to take a side. But one thing was clear—the universe is too complex to be a mistake. Whether it started with a divine command or an explosion, I was determined to keep searching.

Because if we don’t ask the hard questions, how will we ever find the real answers?

Chapter 3: Evolution vs. Creation—Are We Just Advanced Animals?

I remember sitting in class, listening to my teacher explain Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. She spoke about how life began as simple cells and slowly developed into different species over millions of years. Humans, she said, were not created instantly but were part of this long process—evolving from ape-like ancestors.

I felt a deep conflict inside me.

Because in church, I was taught something completely different.

Genesis 2:7 says, “Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living soul.”

God made Adam fully formed. Not from an ape. Not over millions of years. But instantly.

For the first time, I asked myself:

• Who’s right—science or the Bible?

• Are we spiritual beings, or just highly intelligent animals?

• If humans evolved, what does that mean for Adam and Eve?

The Moment I Questioned Our Uniqueness

One late evening, while sitting at the edge of a field, I watched a group of wild animals move through the grass—so instinctively, so naturally, so without care. I asked myself, Are we really different?

These animals lived by instinct, driven by hunger, survival, and their natural patterns. But then, I thought about us. Humans are capable of far more than instinct: we can create art, build civilizations, and, above all, we search for meaning.

That night, I realized something:

• Do we just have a brain capable of advanced thought, or is there something deeper?

• If we’re really just animals, why do we feel a need for purpose, a connection to something bigger than ourselves?

• Why do we struggle with morality, guilt, love, and spirituality?

The more I thought about it, the more I felt that maybe there was something different about us. Something that science can’t explain.

What the Bible Says About Creation

The Bible’s view is clear:

• God created humans in His image (Genesis 1:27).

• Adam was formed from the dust, not through evolution (Genesis 2:7).

• Eve was created from Adam’s rib, not from an earlier species (Genesis 2:22).

There’s no mention of millions of years. No slow evolution. Just instant creation by God’s hands.

Faith vs. Evidence: Can They Coexist?

For a long time, I thought I had to choose—either believe in the Bible or believe in science. But then I realized something:

Even scientists admit that evolution doesn’t explain everything.

For example:

• How did life begin? Evolution explains how life changes but not how it started.

• Why do humans have a deep sense of morality? Animals don’t struggle with right and wrong the way we do.

• What makes us different from animals? Science says intelligence, but the Bible says we have a soul.

Maybe evolution explains how life developed, but it doesn’t answer why we are here.

Are Humans More Than Just Animals?

One thing I couldn’t shake was this:

If we’re just animals, why do we long for meaning?

• Why do we pray?

• Why do we search for purpose?

• Why do we feel guilt, love, and hope in ways animals don’t?

Genesis says humans were made in God’s image—meaning we have a soul, a connection to something higher. Science can measure DNA, bones, and evolution, but it can’t measure the soul.

Maybe that’s what separates us from animals.

Conclusion: What I Chose to Believe

After all my searching, I realized something:

Science and faith don’t have to be enemies.

Yes, our bodies may have changed over time. But what makes us human—our spirit, conscience, and connection to God—is something science can’t explain.

Maybe evolution happened, but maybe God guided the process. Maybe Adam wasn’t the first biological man, but the first man with a soul.

Maybe the real question isn’t how we were made—but why.

Chapter 4: What is Prayer, and Does It Really Work?

I grew up learning that prayer was a way to talk to God. We were taught that when we pray, we should ask for what we need and thank God for what we have. We prayed before meals, before going to bed, and before going to school. But despite all those prayers, something always gnawed at me:

Does prayer really work?

It wasn’t that I didn’t believe in God. I had been taught that God hears every prayer, that He answers us, and that prayer is powerful. But in my own life, I had prayed for things and didn’t always see results. I began wondering:

• Is prayer just a ritual, or does it truly change things?

• How do we know when God is listening?

• Why do some prayers seem unanswered?

My Personal Struggle With Prayer

I’ll never forget a time in my life when I was struggling deeply. I had just faced a setback, something that shattered my confidence, and I needed help. I prayed fervently, asking God to guide me through this storm.

Every night I went to bed hoping to feel His presence, to feel that my prayers were making a difference. But days turned into weeks, and nothing changed.

I found myself asking: Why wasn’t God answering me? Was I doing something wrong?

It felt like my prayers were floating somewhere in the air, unheard. The silence was deafening. It was as though I was praying into an empty room.

The Silence That Made Me Question

One day, after a particularly long prayer session, I sat in silence, feeling lost. I realized something I hadn’t noticed before: I was only praying for myself.

I was focused on my own struggles, my own desires. But was that what prayer was really about? Was it only about asking for things?