To use the same parable, suppose that instead of using a catfish, the fisherman could have introduced a mild electric shock to the wet well to keep the fish moving. The shock would be strong enough to motivate all the caught fish, but not so powerful that any of the fish would die or would otherwise be less marketable.
Wouldn't it make more sense for the fisherman to use the electric shock, and thus save all the fish, instead of using the catfish, and losing some of his product?
Furthermore, if the fisherman could easily afford the electric shocker, wouldn't we question his judgment if he still chose to use the catfish? And wouldn't we be even more confused if the fisherman could have chosen a painless method of motivation, but nevertheless allowed a catfish to swallow up some of his hard-earned catch?
‘Second guessing God’ is a dangerous game ... besides, looking for the ‘exception clause’ is a neat trick evil plays with the too loose mind. He used it in the Garden with Eve and continues to use it with every religion that man fabricates. When Jesus told Nicodemus he must be born again, Nic tried the exception clause approach and the response Jesus gave (in John chptr three) is instructive ... God sets the rules but won’t force you to follow them even when it means your own destruction will result.