Yes, Georgiansilver, as you say, Paul mouthed the customs of the time to the early church, but his words have caused women untold grief in the ensuing two millennia. Very few denominations have not followed Paul's stated attitudes, and many have used and still use them as an excuse to deny women a place of importance in both the churches and in broader society. Many women are still manipulated by the preachings of Paul, and told to accept their place or be accused of sin.

With modern Christians, you see endless picking and choosing of what parts of the Bible are deemed inerrant and what parts can be 'safely' ignored, so that the most strict see no harm in wearing cloth made of two fibres, or eating shellfish, but will condemn homosexuality and deny women equality, the moderate will pay lip service to women while still keeping them from the pulpit, while the truly liberal will embrace all.

So how can we know if any of the Bible is anything more than myth, legend, warrior history, proverbs, poetry, philosophy? Read as the preceding, it is an interesting collection with plenty of human wisdom scattered among the wars and romance. Read as a guide to an intervening God, it is all confusion.