once more....it would NOT have to be an out-and-out LIE type fabrication, like sitting down and asking.."what's the wildest story I can invent that I can put over on these suckers?"......it could EASILY be a totally honest, sincere story begun by many people about some locally famous rabble-rouser who got good press, and added to by people who misunderstood the claims. (There was no CNN back then!...not that it would make much difference)...

If David Koresh could convince all those people in Waco, Texas that HE was sorta divine, and get them to die in a fire with him, why couldn't some guy 2000 years ago, with GOOD intentions, get stories told about him till the real truth was buried in myth?

The real problem was, that many dishonest leaders throughout history saw a way to use those stories, whether true or not, and subvert and pervert them for their own purposes. There have been POPES that were said to be not exactly righteous believers!...But they knew how to exploit a good story...