# Who sits next to God?

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Joke
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-joke-cleanliness-next-to-godliness
- Themes: humour, religion
- Life situations: needing a laugh, religious ritual

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

A man who went to church every Sunday, gave donations and kept the Ten Commandments dies and goes to heaven, expecting to see Jesus beside God. Instead a cleaning lady with mop, bucket and duster sits there. “Didn't we tell you cleanliness is next to godliness?”

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

I don't know if you've heard this story; but there was a person who, he went to church every Sunday, and he gave donations, even kept the 10 commandments. And when he died, he went up to heaven and he saw God. And he thought that Jesus will be sitting next to God. And who did he see sitting next to God? A cleaning lady with a mop and a bucket and a duster. He said I thought Jesus was gonna sit next to God. The person said "didn't we tell you cleanliness is next to godliness?" That's today's joke.

## Teaching point

(Light relief in a talk on taking responsibility rather than relying on churchgoing and donations.)

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

The churchgoer expected Jesus beside God and found a cleaning lady with her mop and bucket instead. Ajahn Brahm uses the joke to make a plain point: turning up at a temple and giving donations is not enough. Goodness is something we do ourselves, in ordinary chores and choices, not something we hand over to someone else.

## Source

- [Buddhism and Atheism | Ajahn Brahm | 16-04-2010](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRutmoPEWaQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 25:04 to 25:41: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRutmoPEWaQ&t=1504s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Responding to child sex abuse in religious institutions | Ajahn Brahm | 22 May 2015](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0AYOcqPTVY) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 19:42 to 20:45: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0AYOcqPTVY&t=1182s