I always saw it as a mind-hack by the powers that be: by declaring everybody is a sinner simply by virtue of being born as the progeny of other sinners you start off with your life in the balance and only the church can absolve you. That's just high pressure sales for a service that you might otherwise find you can do perfectly without.

After watching my wife play Animal Crossing during the pandemic I've started to think of it as the "Tom Nook" method. "Welcome to the island. BTW - You owe me a zillion dollars just for existing."