Brian wrote:theia wrote:On a wordly level, I agree that Jesus was not a loner. But I believe that His spiritual path was, by its very nature, one of aloneness and quiet.
I think whether Jesus was a loner can be up for interpretation. Certainly, there were times when he was with his disciples, but you've got the garden of Gesthemene (sp?) and the time he spent out in the desert as two examples of him seeking solitary contemplation. And none of his buddies were anywhere near him when he was on the cross. He sought out people when he taught, but there are lots of teachers who otherwise lead solitary lives.
Jesus needed his time out like most of us need our time alone to get our thoughts and reflect on our lives. But throughout his time on earth he was a teacher/mentor a fisher of men , healed the sick and setup the origins of christianity to carry on after his death and resurrection. If he was a loner there would no christianity and this world be spirituality dead.
The bible tells us we need to have friends in our lives people we trust but you do need your own relationship with God. Yes there are hundreds of Religious/ Spiritual leaders out there with many leading people astray or abusing them. Always bad apples in any religious organisation(including Islam)