Although this movement had been appraised as insisting on 'the freedom of faith in Japan' so far, some modern people think that Shimaji and Myonyo themselves were positive towards the idea of State Shinto and that it was not necessarily a movement to seek the freedom of faith and creed.
従来この運動は「日本における信教の自由」を主張したものと評価されてきたが、三条教則批判を展開した島地や明如自身も国家神道に前向きであり、今日必ずしも思想・信条の自由を求めた運動ではなかったとの見方がある。