I find that people that are afraid to tear, have never torn fabric before. And as far as damage, it is no worse than sewing, when you sew through fabric you are breaking threads. I have quilts that are 30 years old and are still totally intact and all the fabric was torn, the only worn places are the sewn seam. When you tear fabric and press it it goes back to its original state.
It's OK to tear your fabric.