Just wondering

I suspect the original stories were allegorical, but over time have been (mis) interpreted as absolute "fact" or else presented as that by people with an agenda. For instance, the "seven days" of creation of this world illustrate what we know of the science with what actually happened and the order it happened in, but the timescale of seven days was presented as easier to understand, where most of us blench at the actual suspected time evolution takes.

I agree. Most major religions (not all) in their pure forms are pretty kind and reasonable, but then they don't survive contact with humanity and its weaknesses. And I only know one religion, a very minor one, that isn't misogynist. There may of course be others, but no mainstream religions treat women as well as they treat men. These belief forms are used to gain power, riches and control of the masses. So very sad.