The Puritans removed organs and paintings from churches, but bought them for private use in their homes.
This quote highlights the Puritans' commitment to simplicity and their resistance to what they saw as unnecessary or ostentatious displays in worship spaces. However, their contradictory behavior in private shows that their rejection of certain church practices did not completely eliminate their appreciation for art and beauty; rather, it shifted from public to private spheres. It prompts a reflection on how personal preferences and beliefs can influence the ways individuals reconcile religious ideals with cultural aesthetics, often revealing complexities beneath strict external doctrines.