leaving religion aside because, well not everyone who experiences love believes Jesus even existed.
I don't think one can just choose to love someone. I've tried and, it lead to total unhappiness, I didn't care for that person, deep down. I can't make myself feel something.
I love my family, but its a different love, hard to really describe but its far different then, say I don't have sex with them.
In my own experience, choosing to love or befriend someone, I felt nothing for them, absolutely nothing.
Sure I didn't dislike them, and they were nice people, but if they said, out of the blue, we're not friends/a couple anymore, I would feel nothing.
How is that love?
I don't want to be emotionally dead and be around someone I don't care about.
If that's love, then love is a terrible thing (imo)