@EmmaFaber @politicallyincorrectpuppy @annakatarina Most religions developed during the axial age as a means of creating cohesion within communities as well as a means of managing hierarchies. They have similar themes, creation stories etc because they borrowed from each other and because many of the concepts and retellings are intrinsic to humans. Think about the magical numbers 3, 7 and 12 which crop up in multiple stories as well as elements of narrative such as the good are rewarded and the bad are punished.
Just because something is not literally true, it doesn't mean that it doesn't contain a truth.