History Main / GodlySidestep

* Knucker the Knower, who knows everything when he's drunk, tells Etjole Ehomba the meaning of life in the second book of AlanDeanFoster's ''Journeys of the Catechist''. Ehomba is pleased with the answer, but since Knucker whispered the answer, the reader never finds out.

* At the very end of the ''WesternAnimation/FindingNemo'' visual commentary, during the {{Pixar}} VanityPlate, the director can be heard saying, "Here's the secret of life. The secret of life is--" ''(Luxo Jr. shuts off his light.)''

[[folder: Web Original ]]

* {{Parodied}} on ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall''--while reviewing a comic about WonderWoman talking to some school children, Linkara imitates a child and asks if the existence of Greek gods in her origin disproves all other religions.

[[/folder]]

-->'''Hermes:''' He�s not really what you�d call a team player. Put it this way: We don�t bother Him, He doesn�t bother us.

** A RunningGag on the talk show ''Jesus and Pals''.

* In ''[[{{Deryni}} The Quest For Saint Camber]]'', Kelson converses via Mind Speech with a being who appeared [[spoiler: and helped him vanquish his treasonous cousin Conall]]:

* The motivation of the DCComics cosmic villain Krona is learning the truth behind the creation of the universe. To do this he created a machine that allowed him to observe the past, but all he saw was a hand full of stars before a bolt out of nowhere destroyed the machine. His attempt also harmed the universe (exactly how has varied over the years) and forced his people, the Oans, to become the [[GreenLanternCorps Guardians Of The Universe]] to make up for it. Krona has since continued trying, regardless of the consequences.

** MarvWolfman has stated that he always hated what Krona saw (but not why--perhaps he disliked the implication that the universe has a creator) and that he specifically wrote a scene in ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths to subvert it by saying that what Krona actually saw was the hand of the Anti-Monitor trying to recreate the universe [[InTheirOwnImage in his own image]].

* When the crew of ''OnePiece'' meet an old man who was on the one ship in recorded history to make it to the end of the Grand Line. Usopp asks him about One Piece, the treasure allegedly stashed there (and, incidentally, [[MacGuffin the thing everyone's trying to get]], [[CaptainObvious and the title of the series]]). However, his captain very angrily calls [[{{Spoiler}}No Spoilers]] on him, saying he [[RuleOfFun wouldn't like an adventure where he knew the outcome]].
* In the 3rd OVA to ''FushigiYuugi'', Taka [[spoiler: Tamahome]] asks Taiitsukun if the misfortune befalling the universe is Mayo's fault. She replies "Perhaps it is, perhaps it is not." [[spoiler: It's actually not ''entirely'' her fault, but a huuuge XanatosGambit makes it look that way.]] Additionally, she tells him what the [[{{Macguffin}} Shinzaho]] is using a riddle. [[spoiler: It's the twelve-week-old fetus that was transferred out of his wife Miaka and into the aforementioned Mayo.]]

* In the ''Series/RedDwarf'' episode ''White Hole'', Holly gains an IQ of over 12,000 and professes to know the meaning of the universe. The only being present to ask her is a toast-obsessed kitchen appliance, and any questions it puts forward end up being about bread. Before anyone else can ask, she realises she has three minutes to live and refuses to communicate with anyone.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': The 4th Edition sidestep the question of 'what happens to a person after they die' by stating that the deceased goes to the unknowable afterlife, beyond the reach of gods or devils. Not even the goddess of death know, as she only runs the AfterlifeAntechamber. Exceptions to this rule are souls who have done great deeds for the gods ([[CardCarryingVillain or Hell]]), in which case they become immortal souls who accompany their patron in the patron's domain.

[[AC:Anime and Manga]]

[[AC:{{Comics}}]]

[[AC:Film -- Animated]]

[[AC:Film -- Live Action]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

-->'''Hermes:''' He’s not really what you’d call a team player. Put it this way: We don’t bother Him, He doesn’t bother us.

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]

[[AC:{{Music}}]]

[[AC:{{Religion}}]]

[[AC:{{Tabletop Games}}]]

[[AC:WebComics]]

[[AC:WebOriginal]]
* {{Parodied}} on ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall''--while reviewing a comic about WonderWoman talking to some school children, Linkara imitates a child and asks if the existence of Greek gods in her origin disproves all other religions.

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

* In ''{{Dogma}}'', God herself does this. After the heroes save God, the day, and the universe, the main character asks to be told the meaning of life. God, played by Alanis Morissette, simply smiles.

* In ''TimeBandits'', when Kevin actually asks what is the reason for evil, God steps behind a wall for a moment, then comes back and says "something to do with free will and all that."

* Averted in a classic ''SaturdayNightLive'' skit, where an angel (Dana Carvey) happily rattles off answers to the quickfire questions of a just-deceased fellow (guest host John Larroquette).

* In ''JohnnyTheHomicidalManiac'', the eponymous character meets God. God is a sleeping fat man who, upon being woken up, refuses to answer any questions and insists he's earned a break after creating the entire universe.

** In ''ComicBook/JLAAvengers'', he ''destroyed several universes'' trying to find the answer. He eventually finds the one being who knows it ({{Galactus}}) but is turned himself into a "cosmic egg" like the one the MarvelUniverse was created from in the process. Technically, he found the answer he wanted- but whether he feels fulfilled ([[AndIMustScream or anything else]]) as a result is unknown.

** MarvWolfman has stated that he always hated what Krona saw (but not why--perhaps he disliked the implication that the universe has a creator) and that he specifically wrote a scene in CrisisOnInfiniteEarths to subvert it by saying that what Krona actually saw was the hand of the Anti-Monitor trying to recreate the universe [[InTheirOwnImage in his own image]].

** In {{JLA-Avengers}}, he ''destroyed several universes'' trying to find the answer. He eventually finds the one being who knows it ({{Galactus}}) but is turned himself into a "cosmic egg" like the one the MarvelUniverse was created from in the process. Technically, he found the answer he wanted- but whether he feels fulfilled ([[AndIMustScream or anything else]]) as a result is unknown.

* The creators of ''JoanOfArcadia'' made this the rule, actually listing things God couldn't say with regards to unversal truths and religion. God conversed with Joan on a regular basis and always refused to answer any major questions.

* DungeonsAndDragons: The 4th Edition sidestep the question of 'what happens to a person after they die' by stating that the deceased goes to the unknowable afterlife, beyond the reach of gods or devils. Not even the goddess of death know, as she only runs the AfterlifeAntechamber. Exceptions to this rule are souls who have done great deeds for the gods ([[CardCarryingVillain or Hell]]), in which case they become immortal souls who accompany their patron in the patron's domain.

** After learning that Nibblonians have been around [[BeyondTheImpossible for 17 years longer than the universe]], Leila asks them how the universe began. Nibbler gives a long string of IntelligibleUnintelligible gibberish.

* {{Parodied}} on ''AtopTheFourthWall''--while reviewing a comic about WonderWoman talking to some school children, Linkara imitates a child and asks if the existence of Greek gods in her origin disproves all other religions.

* In ''Webcomic/DinosaurComics'', T-Rex can hear the voice of God, and at one point, God is asked to settle whether intelligent design is right or wrong. God's response is...less than helpful.

-->'''God:''' '''NoIndoorVoice I LIKE TO DANCE IN MY UNDERPANTS T-REX'''

* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' has an episode where SufficientlyAdvancedAlien Q Jr. is told to write an essay about the origins and aspirations of his species. Kathryn Janeway treats the result as if it was an ordinary, though well done, student work.

:: Considering that the circumstances of his death and resurrection involved some Vulcan telepathic mumbo-jumbo not generally available to humans, it's doubtful his experiences would have been very enlightening in any case.