Cleanliness is next to godliness.

[Part One]
There are indeed many ways to talk about cleanliness, covering many aspects of it. The
word clean means hygienic, empty, and dirt-free, but it can also mean playing by the rules
or following the exact regulations (moral); and that is far from what I will be talking about.
And for this, I will define MY clean now, and then speculate about it.
Clean, to me, means (or what I mean by clean in this essay): Being in a state where germs,
sweat and dirt on your skin are so little that the person at question is tolerable of it. And
because it is dependent of us, it only leaves us 2 options: Either to have a definite scale
that we can measure how clean we are or how dirty, or each man is his own scale. I cant
establish an international scale, so I will use the latter.
It feels horrifying, I know. But what can I do about it? I cant tell someone who accepts his
dirtiness that he is not clean. He sees himself clean, and I cant convince him otherwise. For
all I know, he sees me, the clean man, as an extremist, right? And I am no better than
others. I may be quite dirty to the eyes of a cleaner man.
Therefor, I have rules that may help a bit. They are only four, and they are very simple:

The first one is to shower once everyday, or once every 2 days, or as frequently as
possible while not extending a week without showering.

The second one is to assume that the person you are interacting with is cleaner than
you, so you have to not dirty him, or at least, not make him dirty. This rule is to
preserve the cleanliness of others.

The third one is to avoid dirt or grease or whatever that is revolting. And if you by any
chance came into contact with it, freshening up and washing your hands is obligatory.

The fourth and last one is the most tiring one. It is to assume that everything is dirty
unless the thing were handling is thoroughly cleansed, and the cleanness is only
temporary.

There are many of both the pros and cons of my standard of being clean, thus making it
harder for me to see clearly whether it is good or not. Even though it feels at heart to me
that clean is the righteous way.

[Part Two]
When we take a close look at religion, we see that most of the times, Islam preaches that
the best approach to things is the cleanest one, and it considers also that the most
appropriate solution is one that is clean; or at least, what is thought to be clean. But sadly, it
tells us sometimes to just say bismellah and do it, regardless of the state of the thing
(clean or dirty).
Tradition also raises us to its standards of what is clean. Even though the elders are as far
from clean as possible, but for them, they sincerely think that they are clean. And that solely
depends on what is clean to them. But as tradition always does, is it trying to make us clean
only because it is traditional to be clean?
Elders believe that some germs is good for the body. But have they considered the cellular
damage done in the process? How would the antibiotics that are gained from allowing bits
of germs into your body help you if there was a strong strike from viruses afterwards? The
body would be tired. Being dirty causes many diseases. But if anyone lived in an
environment that is too clean, and then is exposed to a dirty subject or place, hell get
allergic to almost everything in that place.
I am not sure if being too clean is unhealthy, for I count clean as a status to avoid burdening
myself with always having to be in the cleanest possible state. But I concur that it would ruin
ones life to be seeking only the cleanest states in life. Some goofing off is good every once
in a while. Its really tiring to be determined all the time.
In conclusion: ignoring religion and tradition for a moment, we see that in pre-ancient history
man has always cleaned himself, so is it hereditary? Or is it a desire, being clean? And it
goes without saying that our standards differs very much from theirs.

[part Three]
When we look at people we consider dirty, we feel repulsive. Whether this repulsion comes
from a rational or irrational reason, it does not matter as much as it is a problem to us. And
problems need to be solved whether questioning this repulsion, or avoiding being dirty.

And when we look at our carnal desires, what is clean is more attractive to us, and what
isnt is less. We enjoy it much as even pleasure for our eyes when the person is clean,
and not otherwise.
There is a special thing about being clean. It is always very refreshing, and we dont have to
be sickened. The stench and putrefaction is reduced to what is naturally dirty, and we are
left with brilliant aromas. And the textures of things clean are smoother than those dirty. The
contact of skin and metal, or skin and glass, or wood, is better if clean. But always, dirty
ruins the spirits of these things.
All I know is that it is the most relieving sensation, and most satisfactory to me that often
drags peace of mind along with it is when I am stepping out of the bathroom just showered,
or when I am lying in bed with slippery smooth skin, and silky hair. (and the bed not dusty)
Finally, I want to be clean because I feel more comfortable that way. And I feel like the world
shines a smile upon me when I am clean, in addition to outside events. =)

Is cleanliness next to godliness?

This is one of those sayings that is ingrained in culture and history, but it does not actually
appear in the Bible. It is an ancient proverb found in Babylonian and Hebrew religious tracts and
didn't debut in the English language until the 1600s. John Wesley in 1791 wrote in one of his
sermons, "Slovenliness is no part of religion. Cleanliness is indeed next to Godliness." And
through the years, the concept made its way into modern culture. So does that mean that we
never need to step into a shower again? Well, no...
Let's break this down and look at cleanliness in two ways.
Physical Cleanness

Does having a spotless bedroom, perfectly groomed dog, and just having gotten out of the
shower mean you are more godly? No! In fact, the New Testament is incredibly clear that
outward cleaning does not affect the heart.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like
whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful,
but inside they are full of dead men's bones and uncleanness." Matthew 23:27

This verse has always been so vivid to me, could the apostle have picked a more dramatic
example to explain that it is the inside that counts? All outside works and appearances, including
cleanliness, will not lead you to godliness (Romans 3:20, Galatians 2:16). Godliness is only
obtained by being completely transformed through the Holy Spirit.
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new
things have come." 2 Corinthians 5:17
So, no, physical cleanliness is not equal, lead to, or next to godliness. But does it have any value?
I would argue yes, for the following reason: We are called to be stewards of this world.
Stewardship is not a word we use often now, except in reference to The Lord of the Rings but it
means to be in charge of something that ultimately belongs to another.
"Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule
over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth,
and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Genesis 1:26
The world belongs to the Lord, but we are called to care for it. This principle should follow us in
life, everything you have you have been given stewardship over. It is very difficult to care for
something if no effort is made to keep it maintained. It's important to care for what God has
given us to care for, but it does not affect our godliness.
Spiritual Cleanness

The second kind of cleanliness is not on the outside but on the inside. Spiritual cleanness does
affect our godliness. But you can only become spiritually clean through the salvation of Jesus
Christ and the grace of God. Once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, we are washed
completely clean and made righteous before God. Only then can we share in His godliness.
Nothing we do on the outside will affect that; it is the heart of the soul that needs to be cleaned.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8

Cleanliness IS next to godliness: new research shows clean

smells unconsciously promote moral behavior

"Learn to do right!" -- "Learn to do good" -- "Learn to do well."

Goodness is a noun and good is an adjective and the meanings of these two words cover a wide range. The original
Hebrew word that means "good" is quite rich as can be seen in the various translations. In our daily conversations we
mention "good" quite often without paying any special attention to its deep-rooted meaning. This time we are not
interested in the "scientific" approach (I am thinking of psychology, ethics or behavioral science) to the meaning of
goodness or good, rather I am thinking of their practical and usual applications. We wish to be good, we like whatever
is good and we hope that the world around us will ultimately become good.
THE WORDS GOODNESS AND GOOD OCCUR FREQUENTLY IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES.
The Bible says: "For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;" Psalm 100:5/a. What God created is also
good: "And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning
were the sixth day." Genesis 1:31. See also 1 Timothy 4:4/a. Some people are good. The lord told his servant who
multiplied the talents given to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I
will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" Matthew 25:21. The usage and
handling can make things good. "We know that the law is good if one uses it properly." 1 Timothy 1:8.
WHAT ARE OUR OWN OBSERVATIONS? YOU HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO DISAGREE WITH OUR FINDINGS.
- It is easy to get used to whatever is good; we like that which is good. However, it is hard to accept and tolerate that
which is not good; these things make us unhappy.
- Whatever is good, that what we like, even if we have much of it, is still not enough. However, even a little portion of
that which is bad is too much for us.
- Whatever is good, that is what we like, seemingly does not last long. However, that which is bad seems to linger on
for a long time.
- Whatever is good, that is what we like, for we have to strive or work hard for it. However, that which is bad arrives
quickly and enters without invitation.
Obviously, as the years pass, we hope our lives will be easier and better. Concerning this expectation, here are some
questions:
- When will we reach that plateau or level that will satisfy us? When we will not wish for more? When will we say,
"Now everything is good, and whatever we have, we are happy with and, we do not need or ask for anymore?" See
Philippians 4:12.
- Can everybody receive and gain equally from the goods of the world? If another person has more and has an easier
life, are we willing to accept it without complaint?
- Does everybody deserve the same reward and appreciation? Who can tell objectively which of us should receive
more and who should be given less?
Can we satisfy these points? I am sure this is in your mind also.
- We wish to BE good. This is our behavior and shows our personality.

- We wish to DO good. This requires action. Do our actions correspond with our ideas?
- We wish to STAND FOR whatever is good. This often requires involvement in controversial issues and involves
risking our reputation or even our possessions.
What are the friends and foes of goodness? Here I wish to mention only three for each. Goodness is supported and
strengthened by love, faith and clear conscience. Goodness is stifled and ruined by arrogance, greed and grudge.
There are more on each side and from your observations and experiences, you may add your own.
Isaiah wrote, "learn to do good" and the author of the letter to the Hebrews underlines it with, "Do not neglect to do
good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God." Hebrews 13:16. From the Revised
Standard Version. Please read also 1 Timothy 6:18, Titus 2:7/a, and Hebrews 10:24. Our Lord should be our
example, "... how he (Christ) went about doing good ..." Acts of Apostles 10:38/b.