DaasYochid – Can you clarify why you categorize the silly belief that someone who was niftar is still physically alive as being apikorsos? (L’havdil, are Jews who believe Elvis is alive apikorsum?)
The only logical reason I can think of for a mass belief that a man who clearly died according to any reasonable burden of proof (if he was married, his wife would be free to remarry, etc.) is that they think he’s immortal
The underlying psychology (lack of acceptance) might be similar to the Elvis phenomenon but it’s not the same hashkafically. I don’t think they’ve deified Elvis in any way. If they have, correct me.