A cranky old man who makes racist remarks shouldn't have his earlier works in biology questioned.
A mathematicians beliefs on God should have no bearings on the quality of her theorems.
A physics student in training unable to recognize (much less participating with and encouraging) a crackpot's physics theories which should be obvious to any undergrad, should not attain a degree in physics. It's not about persecuting beliefs, but a disturbing lack of basic understanding.