# betta gives insight to God's apparent absence? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 14, 2007, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973 "2007-12-14T06:46:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![petew83](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@petew83](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/petew83)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/1 "2007-12-14T06:46:31Z")
Sometimes we might think it is easier to avoid strong attachment to a short-lived animal in order to avoid a sense of loss at its impending death. This popped into my mind as I was looking into the bowl of my new betta-fish. Might God feel this way about humans? Or might he only speak to those he intends to keep with him forever? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/2 "2007-12-14T06:50:44Z")
Seems to me God shoulda designed us better, if that’s the problem. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/3 "2007-12-14T07:16:15Z")
There’s a way to test this. First have a child by a Betta untouched by the fins of males, watch in horror as the other Bettas nail the fins of your only begotten roe to the arms of the little aerator diver guy. Return him to the tank three days later and pull him right back out again. Then tell us if you feel the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Superfluous\_Parentheses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfluous_Parentheses)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/4 "2007-12-15T18:34:51Z")
[QUOTE=petew83] Might God feel this way about humans? [/QUOTE] Maybe, that wouldn’t prevent him from occasionally tapping the fishbowl. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/5 "2007-12-15T18:39:18Z")
Look, to conduct a proper experiment here, you need some brine shrimp and some human [ahem] DNA. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/6 "2007-12-15T20:37:49Z")
God’s still there, he is just too busy answering trivial prayers about football games and being thanked for winning country music awards to pay attention to the big stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/7 "2007-12-15T22:36:56Z")
I dunno. I mean, the ones God is going to keep with Him forever are the ones who obey His commandments and all that stuff, right? Then why only talk to them? Does a teacher only talk to the students who are getting As, or also to the students who will fail without assistance? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/8 "2007-12-16T02:21:01Z")
[QUOTE=petew83] Sometimes we might think it is easier to avoid strong attachment to a short-lived animal in order to avoid a sense of loss at its impending death. This popped into my mind as I was looking into the bowl of my new betta-fish. Might God feel this way about humans? Or might he only speak to those he intends to keep with him forever? [/QUOTE] I bawled when my betta Gainsborough (and Pad Thai and Mr. Tippy) died. I would hope a being dubbed “loving” could outdo that. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/9 "2007-12-16T05:46:28Z")
I’m sorry, **Pete**. We’re a bunch of smart asses here. Intelligent smart assess, if I do say so myself, Genius Mules, even. You’re new, though, and we may be hazing you a bit here. I’ve seen the threads you’ve started, and my advice would be to keep asking honest questions. Stick around. I like you. “What is energy?” Just asking that… Wow. Damn good question. It’s pretty obvious to me that you’ve got a couple of brain cells to rub together. Stick around, just because we’re telling bad jokes regarding your OP (Original Post starting a thread) here, doesn’t mean we disrespect you. We’re just kinda tired regarding some aspects of theology. Anywho, stick around and keep at it. This thread may be a bust, but nobody bats a thousand. ---
**Author:** ![petew83](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@petew83](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/petew83)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/10 "2007-12-16T19:01:47Z")
[QUOTE=A Monkey With a Gun] I’m sorry, **Pete**. We’re a bunch of smart asses here. Intelligent smart assess, if I do say so myself, Genius Mules, even. You’re new, though, and we may be hazing you a bit here. I’ve seen the threads you’ve started, and my advice would be to keep asking honest questions. Stick around. I like you. “What is energy?” Just asking that… Wow. Damn good question. It’s pretty obvious to me that you’ve got a couple of brain cells to rub together. Stick around, just because we’re telling bad jokes regarding your OP (Original Post starting a thread) here, doesn’t mean we disrespect you. We’re just kinda tired regarding some aspects of theology. Anywho, stick around and keep at it. This thread may be a bust, but nobody bats a thousand. [/QUOTE] lol thanks a lot man. yea this seems like a great place and i do plan to stick @ 🙂 I’m a smart ass myself so no complaints. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2007, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/11 "2007-12-16T22:31:49Z")
This is a weird coincidence. I’ve also philosophized about God’s existence based on my experiences with my betta fish, may he R.I.P. When I entered my room, my betta greeted me. I gave him food, he acknowledged my existence. But he had no idea whatsoever what happened to me when I walked out of the room. I think we’re the betta fish and God’s the one who walked out of the room. Whooo, deep. ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/12 "2007-12-17T00:27:48Z")
Just in case there does happen to be something as silly as God watching. Why not set a good example? Get your wee pal a female Betta for good company. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/13 "2007-12-17T00:44:05Z")
[QUOTE=Kuboydal] Get your wee pal a female Betta for good company. [/QUOTE] What if they start living in fin? ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/14 "2007-12-17T00:54:12Z")
Does it matter? I don’t think they have sole. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/15 "2007-12-17T01:28:15Z")
They can be saved, so long as they believe in Cod. ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/16 "2007-12-17T01:32:56Z")
I say you baptize 'em for the halibut. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/17 "2007-12-17T01:54:24Z")
Now you’re just floundering. Was that first one just a fluke? ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/18 "2007-12-17T02:21:25Z")
It’s tough when one is hard of herring, all my replies end up kinda crappie. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/19 "2007-12-17T02:25:31Z")
Sing them a hymm to calm their spirits. It’s sung to the tuna “Amazing Grace”. ---
**Author:** ![Kuboydal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@Kuboydal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kuboydal)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2007, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973/20 "2007-12-17T02:44:23Z")
If I sing it well, I may receive an Oscar. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/betta-gives-insight-to-gods-apparent-absence/429973.md?page=2)