Am I the only one?

Assalamu alaikum, everyone. Sometimes I feel like Islam and culture have become so intertwined that it's hard to tell them apart. In my area, it seems like Islam is used to spread fear among kids and women, portraying Allah as just a source of fear, not mercy. There's also a strong patriarchy in families where men have more power than what the Quran actually teaches, which reminds me of some cultural practices. It's frustrating because this fear-mongering isn't really from the religion; it's crept in from culture. Plus, they often highlight hadith about punishments while ignoring those about mercy. Surely, I can't be the only one noticing this?