Why Are Puritans Too Extreme?

The puritans refer to a minority of Protestants who were not comfortable with the Elizabethan Settlement. They were less in number but were very influential by nature. They desired simpler church rituals and suggested a returning to the pure form of the Christian Church. There name might have been due to this desire of theirs but it is also believed that they were named such due to their exaggerated sense of self righteousness.   

They were very rigid in their beliefs and practised extremist values. There was time when they were at their influential best in Europe which was known as the time of Puritan Era. During this time severe punishments were given to people and even the smallest of mistakes were returned with a very harsh chastisement. Many people were killed during this time in the name of witchcraft and voodooism particularly women, thus the term puritan was used as a derogatory term and today it is used more to signify the attitude and behaviour of people rather than as a sect or group.