The Jesus Itinerary

[Lion IRC]

Show me the bible text which states that all John the Baptists followers thought he was the Messiah

It doesn't. History does.

You quote the bible selectively claiming theres internal contradictions and THEN you admit that that the problem isnt even IN the bible. You did that here as well;

...Could it all just be propaganda, an attempt to incorporate the icons of a rival religion, like Islam does to Jesus?

If you based your position solely on the text you claim to have carefully read, you wouldnt need to do this sort of irrelevant speculation. Speculation that does nothing to support your theory.
You are arguing from silence yet you won’t allow biblical theists the benefit of the doubt.