I'm not sure I love Jesus

I love Jesus?

Something sounds weird about that. In church circles, if I say that phrase people say "amen". If I say that out of church, I feel as though I need to follow it up with an explanation. The truth is I don't know if I can say that.

The fact is I have never met the guy. Would love to. I think he's a stud. I love the way he lived his life according to the stories I read. I love his concepts I love his passion and energy. I love him staring down death in the eye and seemingly not flinching. But something sounds intellectually dishonest for me to say I love him. Actually something sounds a little wrong for me to say that. Because, again, I never met him.

I pray to him. I sing about him. I tell stories about him. I used to say that I love him. Now I say that I'm in love with the idea of him. I guess, if we're honest I have a man-crush on him.

Can you looooove someone you never met? If you loooove someone you never met at what point does that person become an imaginary friend? I used to talk to Jesus like he was my imaginary friend. Pretend that he was talking to me and that I could hear him.

Don't get me wrong I think that Jesus is still speaking today. I just happen to think he might not be speaking in the verbal way a human would. He nudges hearts. He inspires to action by his words and actions of many years ago.

It's not about religion, it's about relationship. Hmmm. What kind of relationship is it if only person talks? What's so wrong with religion? Do we just say that because we are afraid that others might not accept us if we are religious? Is it a sales technique?

Why do we have such a need and pressure to say we love him? Why do we pressure others into the same. Some will have trouble with me writing this. The bummer is it's all about semantics. Jesus is a stud.