Doubt Tradition

In his latest work, How Jesus Became God, Ehrman mentions the "doubt tradition" of the gospels. Various passages in Matthew, Luke and John claim that after Jesus appeared to his disciples, following his resurrection, some doubted it was him. Matthew 28:17 indicates not all believed, while Luke and John say Jesus had to prove his identity or reality. There is the famous story of doubting Thomas, who wasn't convinced until he examined Christ's crucifixion wounds. This is strange, Ehrman notes, because modern research indicates those who have visions tend not to doubt what they have seen.
In my opinion, the doubt tradition was invented to hide the awful truth, previously mentioned, that Jesus was eaten by scavengers.
Following the arrest or crucifixion of Jesus, the male disciples fled, probably back to Galilee. Mary Magdalene and other women stayed in Jerusalem. There they witnessed, or were informed about, the ravaging of Jesus's body.
The earliest and most original christian writings, by Paul, don't mention any resurrection appearances to women. Nor do they mention Joseph of Arimathea or an empty tomb. In Galilee, the male disciples believed they saw Jesus. They certainly did not doubt he had been exalted. Peter and others were fired with enthusiasm for their "risen lord." Returning to Jerusalem, they informed Mary Magdalene and others. No doubt, the women were the skeptics. They had very good reason to be. It wasn't just a matter of the inherent improbability of a dead person coming back to life. Jesus had been torn to pieces by crows and dogs. He had been devoured and his remains scattered and lost. How could he possibly come back to life?? But the male disciples were insistent. They were sure they had seen him. Far from doubting, they were so convinced they were willing to do anything to make converts. And they, not the women, influenced later writings.
To increase the likelihood of belief in the resurrection, it was essential to erase all hints of the destruction of christ's body. In part, this involved inventing an early death, and rapid burial of Jesus. Pilate is said to have "marvelled" at how quickly he died on the cross. Supposedly he was then interred in a rock tomb before sundown. Christian storytellers knew they had to make it appear Jesus was invulnerable to scavenging. Unless they got him buried by sundown he would've remained on the cross until Sunday morning (jews were forbidden to work on the sabbath). The buzzards would've had all day Saturday to feast on him. Not much would've remained to "resurrect" and it wouldn't have looked very pretty. Ergo the invention of "Joseph of Arimathea" and "the tomb."
But the effort to hide the truth involved more than a quick burial. It is noteworthy that in the gospels, the male disciples are the ones with doubts whereas the women have none. Luke wrote that when the women reported Jesus had been raised, the men dismissed it as an "idle tale." John says Peter refused to believe Mary Magdalene that the tomb is empty.
These stories turn the truth on its head. For the storytellers, it was important that the women, in the best position to know the fate of Jesus, had no doubts about the resurrection. In fact they had plenty.