Attn: Catholics, Baptists, & Swimmers: Do you really think that John the Baptist is Jesus' Cousin?

I am a devout cafeteria Catholic, as much as the next person, but this tidbit of information seems contrived. It seems that Jesus stumbled across John the Baptist, and it would be politically correct to get his followers to follow Him if they were related. It seems too neatly wrapped. What do YA'LL think???