Originally Posted by
Gunny
I see your point, but disagree. People "know God" as they are taught to. "Knowing God" and conforming to accepted norms are two separate things; although, interwoven.
I was taught you dress up in dress clothes (your finest rainments) to go into the Lord's House. Others see it differently. God is love, but also is "all things to all people".
As opposed to the thread title, the woman was not denied a seat in a house of worship. She was simply instructed on how to conduct herself. They don't allow food and drinks in most churches either. Slamming a church for having rules of conduct is going a bit far. We follow rules of conduct the second we step outside our doors, and have to follow some even INSIDE our own walls. It's not a stretch in a society based on rules, and a religion based on rules, that there are rules.
If you don't like a church, go somewhere else. If you are a guest, it is merely displaying one's manners to observe their rules, not bring your own.
none of those things speak to my point - without Love, one cannot know God. nothing else matters, ultimately. The guy did not behave in a way that shows people he knows what love is. Ergo - based on the evidence of his behaviour, he doesn't know God.
God doesn't care about our rules, traditions, or conduct. God cares about our love for him and others.
“… the greatest detractor from high performance is fear: fear that you are not prepared, fear that you are in over your head, fear that you are not worthy, and ultimately, fear of failure. If you can eliminate that fear—not through arrogance or just wishing difficulties away, but through hard work and preparation—you will put yourself in an incredibly powerful position to take on the challenges you face" - Pete Carroll.