Once I started to see that the Adam and Eve allegory was one of the roots of men's fear of their inability to control their lust, their lament that for all their strength and prowess, they are helpless against the "evils" of the flesh, it all started to fall into place.
When you look at religions through this particular tinted glass, things take on an interesting slant. From Christian fundamentalism to burkas they all have the same decendents.