It is understandable that people in all regions of the world have made great religious leaders into gods.  During the lifetime of a leader of high spiritual consciousness, the evidence of his or her humanity is obvious.  Yet, after great leaders have passed onward, it is often true that others tend to deify them.  As time marches on, as the era of the original avatar passes into the mist of the past, many will build in their thoughts an association with God that makes the avatar qualified to be considered the savior of the rest of us.