I think of it this way. Hypothetically, if Jesus was just a man, but one disgusted with the 'uncivilized' nature of society back then, what would be the best way to create lasting change? I can think of no better that putting yourself forward as a God to be followed 'or else'.
If Jesus was not a God, just a man who advocated a radical new moral doctrine, pretending to be divine would be the most efficient way to spread his beliefs.
The genius of Jesus, in my opinion, was that he incorporated elements of an existing faith, Judaism, into his religion and then allowed his disciples, after his death, to gradually peel away articles of faith he may have not agreed with (a la dietary restrictions, et cetera) as his own faith slowly gained popularity.
Even if he wasn't the Savior, he was still a pretty together dude, I would say.
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The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.
-- Albert Schweitzer
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