[3] religious love, can be expressed in similar terms to
interpersonal love is a matter for philosophical debate. Religious 'love' might be considered a euphemistic term, more closely describing feelings of deference or
acquiescence. Most religions use the term love to express the
devotion the follower has to their deity, who may be a living
guru or religious teacher. This love can be expressed by
prayer, service, good deeds, and personal
sacrifice. Reciprocally, the followers may believe that the deity loves the followers and all of creation. Some traditions encourage the development of passionate love in the believer for the deity. Refer to
Religious Views below. The tension between religious love of the other and self-affirmation is resolved in part by contrasting both love and self-affirmation with their impostors. Further analysis and references about such contrasts are summarized by Roderick Hindery in comparative religious contexts and in the framework of love as confirming the other.
[4] familial love, and, more casually, great affection for anything considered strongly pleasurable, desirable, or preferred, to include activities and foods.
[5][2] This diverse range of meanings in the singular word
love is often contrasted with the plurality of
Greek words for love, reflecting the concept's depth, versatility, and complexity.

Although there exist numerous cross-cultural unified similarities as to the nature and definition of love, as in there being a thread of commitment, tenderness, and passion common to all human existence, there are differences.
- ...Love is the mystery of divine revelations! Love is the effulgent manifestation!
- Love is the spiritual fulfilment! Love is the light of the Kingdom!
- Love is the breath of the Holy Spirit inspired into the human spirit!
- Love is the cause of the manifestation of the Truth (God) in the phenomenal world!
- Love is the necessary tie proceeding from the realities of things through divine creation!
- Love is the means of the most great happiness in both the material and spiritual worlds!
- Love is a light of guidance in the dark night!
- Love is a bond between the Creator and the creature in the inner world!
- Love is the cause of development to every enlightened man!
- Love is the greatest law in this vast universe of God!
- Love is the one law which causeth and controlleth order among the existing atoms!
- Love is the universal magnetic power between the planets and stars shining in the lofty firmament!
- Love is the cause of unfoldment to a searching mind, of the secrets deposited in the universe by the Infinite!
- Love is the spirit of life in the bountiful body of the world!
- Love is the cause of the civilization of nations in this mortal world!
- Love is the highest honor to every righteous nation! ...