I don't think any of thats true. The Apple in the garden is godhood: we learned right and wrong. We already know it. The serpent gave it to us. The pagan priests and arbiters you're calling them, they say the same shit god does to adam in Eden "obey, abstain or suffer."

Jesus freed us from them.

So we are in the image of God already and lords of creation.

Nothing about that suggests torture kids and shit. The opposite, this is the kingdom of heaven and we are made from its mud, smiles and giggles and triumph are baked in, regular healthy decent joy in sunlight