Why would God punish curiosity?
In short: God does not punish sincere curiosity. The fall is not about humble questions, but about mistrust, pride, and the desire to take from God what should have been received in communion.
The Orthodox nuance
The Bible does not condemn man's desire to understand. On the contrary, Scripture calls us to seek, to ask for wisdom, to pray, and to ask questions. But there is a difference between a question that seeks truth and a question that already begins with the accusation that God is evil.
The serpent does not merely say, 'learn more.' He introduces suspicion: God is keeping you down, God is hiding something from you, God is not good. The fall begins when man accepts this false image of God and acts against Him.
In Orthodoxy, true knowledge is linked to the purification of the heart. Not every access to information heals the soul. One can know many things and still be separated from God. True wisdom is never separated from humility.
Sources
- Genesis 3:1-6
- Proverbs 3:5-7
- James 1:5
- Saint Isaac the Syrian (on humility and knowledge)