Cleanliness is Next to Godliness 🧼: The Soap Opera of Clichés
Introduction
“Cleanliness is next to godliness” suggests that maintaining physical cleanliness enhances or even correlates with moral or spiritual purity. This venerable notion has echoing roots in the ancient Babylonian and Hebrew texts and was echoed famously by John Wesley in the 18th century.
Traveling through time, this phrase has suds’ed its way into the works of Charles Dickens and George Bernard Shaw, reflecting societal values and even sparking a few soap operas of its own.
Related and Similar Terms
Similar Expressions
- A clean slate: Starting afresh without past hindrances.
- Squeaky clean: Impeccably pure or clean, often used metaphorically about someone’s character or reputation.
- Spotless reputation: Completely free from moral taint or disrepute.
- Scrubbing up well: Polishing oneself to look admirable.
- Polish the apple: Trying to gain favor through flattery, though less relevant in a cleanliness ideal; its ‘polish’ hints at purifying intentions.
Proverbs and Idioms
- Clean as a whistle: This signifies something entirely clean or flawlessly done.
- Washing one’s hands of it: Refusing to take responsibility or further involve oneself in an issue, akin to Pontius Pilate, reminiscent of seeking moral purity by disengagement.
- Good clean fun: Innocent enjoyment, free from anything that could tarnish one’s morality.
Quotable Clean-Cation 🧹
💬 “The way to cleanliness is an endless scrubbing, no shortcuts here; more like the path to godliness!” - Fictional Rhyme
💬 “Cleanliness which comes next to godliness, if not before it.” - George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman
Literature, Songs, Poetry, and Movies with a Clean Streak
Literature
- Charles Dickens’ Works: Quotes this phrase, bringing out Victorian values in his character’s hygiene.
- Man and Superman by George Bernard Shaw: Discusses societal aspirations to cleanliness and morality.
Movies
- Clean and Sober (1988): Starring Michael Keaton, a dramatic take on the pursuit of moral and physical cleanliness post-addiction.
- Soapdish (1991): A comical, farcical adventure of ups and downs behind the scenes of a soap opera, hinting at the irony of ‘cleanliness’ in a morally complex industry.
Songs
- “A Better Tomorrow” by Wu-Tang Clan: Mixes philosophy of clearing the past misdeeds for a cleaner future.
- “Mr. Clean” by Yung Gravy: Embraces cleanliness but gives it a cheeky, modern flair.
Poems
- An Ode to Cleanliness by Eliza Cook: Reflects 19th-century anxieties and aspirations about physical and spiritual hygiene.
Engaging Quirks and Quizzes
An Inspiring Farewell 🌟
In a world often filled with the metaphorical and literal grime, let the ancient and modern calls to cleanliness inspire us to strive not just for sparkling homes but also for unblemished minds and hearts. While the path to true spiritual purity can indeed be elusive, starting with a heartfelt scrub isn’t a bad trek. So, polish up, for cleanliness brings you closer to the divine (and possibly naughtily nearer to a Shaw-esque laugh).
Until next time, stay spruced and inspired!
R. Purity-Pantheon
Published: October 2, 2023
