These are all misconceptions that have been passed down through generations. Let's set the record straight. Owls can rotate their heads three-quarters of the way around. They cannot move their eyes from side to side but have extremely flexible necks and can move their heads rather quickly - thus the illusion of a complete turn. Owls see perfectly well during the day, and exceptionally well at night.
Owls have the best hearing of all birds.
Their ears are located on the sides of their heads and are hidden by feathers. Owls are predators - they catch, kill and eat other animals in order to survive. This predation is neither cruel nor wasteful and has been going on for millions of years. It seldom upsets anything except perhaps a few people. An owl killing and eating another animal is no different from a robin eating a worm or a gull eating a fish.