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The metaphysics and myths need to be understood within the structure of the dialogue being read. They change from one to the next. There is a large community of Plato scholars who are convinced he was an atheist.
Being wrong doesn't make it false ;) That's what is great about Plato. Any lie his characters may tell (and they tell many of them) offers something beyond the myth itself which is likely to have a philosophical underpinning and pragmatic usefulness.
Of course, one could just say: "but it's a lie!". Fair enough, but one thing I think we can say about Plato with a certain certainty was the he was an elitist. Not everyone is able to escape the cave. Nonetheless, the knowledge of the "real" should still be useful to everyone. It's just a question of getting this knowledge out there. Enter the Myth of Err (or one of the many other Myths).
This may offend people, but that alone shouldn't result in one ignoring what is the (from Plato's perspective) truth behind the lie.
Really? I'll sacrifice a cock for his health.