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Jesus defines himself this way, as do infinite books, hymns, etc.
I am a believer, but I have never "felt" Jesus. I'm just being honest here. If we think about the definition of a friend, wouldn't Jesus be in the "imaginary" category? Because we can't hear, see, touch or feel him in any way. How can a human have a friend like that?
I have occasionally had a thought pop into my head that seems like it might be coming from a source outside my own mind, but I can't be certain. It certainly isn't like someone is "talking" to me.
This has been an ongoing struggle for me, so I'd appreciate any thoughts of how YOU experience Jesus as a friend .
Indeed, he's said to be "a friend that sticks closer than a brother", but like you, I never felt that, even subjectively, much less in any practical sense of him having my back in some way. To the contrary, I lost loved ones under his gaze.
Some would just cruelly take that as evidence I never was a genuine Christian, I suppose. MQ has often spoken of this, as well as others.
Your point is well taken that actual relationships involve communication and actions in both directions. It is hard to call a one-way conversation via prayer a "relationship", but some believers nevertheless trumpet the chestnut, "it's not relation, it's a relationship".
Unfortunately what I expect from a thread like this is a few people telling personal anecdotes (and mind you, I don't disbelieve that they had an experience or emotion they are describing) but won't be able to give you some formula, ritual or practice that will reproduce it for you.
Jesus defines himself this way, as do infinite books, hymns, etc.
I am a believer, but I have never "felt" Jesus. I'm just being honest here. If we think about the definition of a friend, wouldn't Jesus be in the "imaginary" category? Because we can't hear, see, touch or feel him in any way. How can a human have a friend like that?
I have occasionally had a thought pop into my head that seems like it might be coming from a source outside my own mind, but I can't be certain. It certainly isn't like someone is "talking" to me.
This has been an ongoing struggle for me, so I'd appreciate any thoughts of how YOU experience Jesus as a friend .
Edit: I agree with Mordant you will get people giving their own personal anecdotes and in my opinion it is not something that can be taught directly by others, it is not religiously oriented, it’s ‘spiritual’
For me Jesus is more personal and felt and was/is apart or separate from the strictly religious environment that I was brought up, educated (indoctrinated) in
I have never been able to conform to any type of church gathering as it wars with that individual/personal attachment or perception I made very early on, and that seems to do with my natural skepticism and also my need for honesty and integrity, and I seemed to understand the external type of ritualistic behavior and that is doctrinal and dogmatic in nature
It’s not imaginary as in doesn’t exist, it just exists at a spiritual/unseen/internal ‘dimension’ and is hard to explain in words
Feelings and emotions are fickle and unreliable indicators.
Maybe the OP could be more specific in what she means by defining Jesus as "friend"; but friendship at its core is not based in emotion/feeling, but rather in a type of union for the purpose of progress toward a common goal or shared interest, with the necessary involvement of mutual self-sacrifice. I believe friendship also necessitates a certain equality between the partners, which we do indeed have with Jesus due to His humanity.
This is what I think of when I think of Jesus as "friend".
Like with any type of friends, or lover/boyfriend, you have to get to know each other first. Let's say you see a beautiful woman and you are a man and you want to know her. You start by introducing yourself, then start by communicating with her, then you go into more details about your life/her life, getting more personal, getting more involved, falling in love, getting married etc.
The same is with Jesus. Or with other saints or avatars. Like Krishna for example. Or Saint Francis of Assisi. You read about them, then start talking to them (mentally, in prayer, meditation etc), you want to be like them (because you admire them deeply) and so on. What would Jesus do? Some people ask themselves this question when they are put in difficult situations and want to follow their higher noble soul. And not their lower wishes and desires. They want to do what is right and moral in that particular situation/moment.
Like with any type of friends, or lover/boyfriend, you have to get to know each other first. Let's say you see a beautiful woman and you are a man and you want to know her. You start by introducing yourself, then start by communicating with her, then you go into more details about your life/her life, getting more personal, getting more involved, falling in love, getting married etc.
The same is with Jesus. Or with other saints or avatars. Like Krishna for example. Or Saint Francis of Assisi. You read about them, then start talking to them (mentally, in prayer, meditation etc), you want to be like them (because you admire them deeply) and so on. What would Jesus do? Some people ask themselves this question when they are put in difficult situations and want to follow their higher noble soul. And not their lower wishes and desires. They want to do what is right and moral in that particular situation/moment.
Like with any type of friends, or lover/boyfriend, you have to get to know each other first. Let's say you see a beautiful woman and you are a man and you want to know her. You start by introducing yourself, then start by communicating with her, then you go into more details about your life/her life, getting more personal, getting more involved, falling in love, getting married etc.
The same is with Jesus. Or with other saints or avatars. Like Krishna for example. Or Saint Francis of Assisi. You read about them, then start talking to them (mentally, in prayer, meditation etc), you want to be like them (because you admire them deeply) and so on. What would Jesus do? Some people ask themselves this question when they are put in difficult situations and want to follow their higher noble soul. And not their lower wishes and desires. They want to do what is right and moral in that particular situation/moment.
Just my opinion.
^ Great post.
For me I 'grew up' with Christ as 'part of the whole family' and honestly for decades wasn't keenly 'aware' of His presence,
except certain 'crisis moments' in my life,
and as I matured became slowly more 'aware' of when I didn't have Him in my life.
For me I think it took a real 'prodigal son' situation to really open my eyes though, to Him who was there all along.
That was just a primer though.
I'll end with this summary: If you really wanna get close and hang w/Jesus,
you gotta get close and hang w/Jesus!
HE certainly has made it worth it!
Jesus defines himself this way, as do infinite books, hymns, etc.
I am a believer, but I have never "felt" Jesus. I'm just being honest here. If we think about the definition of a friend, wouldn't Jesus be in the "imaginary" category? Because we can't hear, see, touch or feel him in any way. How can a human have a friend like that?
I have occasionally had a thought pop into my head that seems like it might be coming from a source outside my own mind, but I can't be certain. It certainly isn't like someone is "talking" to me.
This has been an ongoing struggle for me, so I'd appreciate any thoughts of how YOU experience Jesus as a friend .
This depends entirely on what you consider a friend. If you are like Mordant and expect a friend to "have your back" that is very different from a friend who cares about you and shares your joys and sufferings without necessarily being able to do anything about it. Absent mental illness, you will not have any conversations with Him. Your thoughts are the only venue to which you have access. It depends on the state of mind you are in. We typically think our state of mind just "happens" to us, but we can and should control it. That is why I stress the states of mind associated with the "mind of Christ."You will not have access to Him in the opposite states of mind. i realize that my perspective is different because I know He is there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by farm108
Like with any type of friends, or lover/boyfriend, you have to get to know each other first. Let's say you see a beautiful woman and you are a man and you want to know her. You start by introducing yourself, then start by communicating with her, then you go into more details about your life/her life, getting more personal, getting more involved, falling in love, getting married etc.
The same is with Jesus. Or with other saints or avatars. Like Krishna for example. Or Saint Francis of Assisi. You read about them, then start talking to them (mentally, in prayer, meditation etc), you want to be like them (because you admire them deeply) and so on. What would Jesus do? Some people ask themselves this question when they are put in difficult situations and want to follow their higher noble soul. And not their lower wishes and desires. They want to do what is right and moral in that particular situation/moment.
Just my opinion.
Good post indirectly recognizing that it is our state of mind that is the important factor.
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