All patriarchal religions need to die before there can be equality of the sexes. All women should reject them. I never understood how any woman can be attracted to religions that support the supremecy of male dieties and prophets. It is not surprising that males in the west would use religion to justify discrimination against females. Religion always provides refuge for sexism.
Women have always taken what they need from these religions, and put into them what they want. Mary is not a saint, but the catholic religion encourages prayers to her and female saints. Women who follow religions like these find ways to focus on the feminine, i believe.
Plus, i think they can sense that the majority of religions are reinterpretations of less male dominated belief systems. There are many based in female culture, of older woman younger man. Mother/son. Rebirth, etc. Without Mary the mother, there is no Christianity, in other words. Without the birth, which only women can do, in other words. It seems male dominant, it is male dominant, but the only reason the Catholic church exists today is more due to the women who prop it up.
There are a few articles out there that describe how most of Catholic stuff is based on pagan god and goddess worship, to make it easier to convert the pagans to Christianity.
