Why do you Think People Support Patriarchy?

Whether the be atheists, deists, Christians, Hindus, Jews and/Muslims; there'll always be fringe groups in these non-religious/religious groups that support patriarchy. Why do you think this is? I personally think that people support patriarchy because they feel that minorities and women will get revenge on them; so these fringe groups aka fundies need a system to scare the minorities and women to make them fearful of change so that they won't question how patriarchy abuses them. Any thoughts on this?

I think there's just a generally tendency of people to favour the status quo. It makes things that are not necessarily natural seem natural which legitimates it. It's easier and more stable to stick to doing things the way they've always been done, and when presented with the problems we face it might seem so daunting as to make people just give up.

Also there's a tendency of structures to reproduce themselves- men dominate in society and they hire people who are like them for jobs, so it is only men who are the powerful positions. Then these men hire other men etc etc. I don't really think it's anybody saying 'hmm, how can we perpetuate the patriarchy today', rather just functions of habit that becoming so ingrained in our way of life that they stop being questioned.

I agree with you, that it is most likely unconscious reproduction of power. Once the cycle starts it is hard to break. People will behave as they are socialised- so people brought up with the idea that it is natural for men to hold the majority of power will genuinely believe that and act to reproduce it in all kinds of ways.
And I think this is one of the reasons why "positive discrimination/affirmative action" should be used. People will always say "the best candidate should get the position" etc, but how can that consistently happen when people are socialised to have such strong biases. Without regulation by a progressive state, power will be reproduced within strict confines. (I think).

I agree with the above posters -- Basically, old habits die hard. When something (such as patriarchy/gender roles) have been beat into our brains for so long, it appears "normal" and people think it's "natural."