(also bcc'd Philip Stromer in case he cares to comment :-)
Did anyone check out the Heaven's Gate group's computer work? I doubt that many of their customers would not welcome a chance to have them back on board. I've worked in plenty of environments where people had vastly different religious, social, racial and political beliefs, and most people don't (and shouldn't) give a rat's ass as long as they pull their weight.
I generally agree, except that if you're trying to determine in a big hurry if a potential contractor is worth hiring, and you become aware that s/he exhibits a trait that you believe is corelated with being a mentally retarded sociopath (e.g., is a Klintonista or (a guy) wears a pair of earrings to an interview), then you should proceed to the next candidate.
Of course, if enough people complain and picket, or whatever, then a 'cult' or a 'racist' or a 'sexist' can become a business liability, not due to the quality of their work, or their unfitness for the job, but because of the hateful intolerance of those with the 'right' beliefs.
But then some of the other folks working there will likely start looking for other jobs... and it's damn hard to find good people, be it in NYC or in the Silicon Valley - harder than to find a job. :-) Ever since Sun Micro fired Philip Stromer for posting "homophobic" jokes to Usenet, I've done what I could to hurt their sales. I estimate the value of sales where Sun boxes were considered, I asked that no Suns be bought, and other boxes (HPs etc) were purchased, to be about $60MM. (Of course, my inputs were almost never pivotal, but I made my opinion known.) I also boycott their software. It's a pity Whit Diffie works for a company that fires people for posting "homophobic" jokes to Usenet.