Since a serious discussion of crime and punishment in colonial America would go far outside the point I want to make, I'll let this drop.
I'm not attacking religious believers. I'm attacking fundamentalists.
You use the term "fundamentalist" very broadly -- including, it appears, anyone who desires a restoration of traditional morality. You can reject the religious authority that that morality is based on, but authority do you offer as an alternative? Ayn Rand?
I use fundamentalist to describe anyone who insists on the absolute authority of a foundational text, such as the Bible or Koran. I am not in the least interested in debating the absurd and obnoxious contention that your particular sectarian belief system is the only one that can provide a basis for morality.
Ayn Rand was a mediocre political philosopher at best, and wrote awful novels, but she had some success attracting people to libertarian ideas, for which she deserves kudos.