Nonsense. The value of Newton's contributions to mathematics and science would have been recognized regardless of how much "love of god" he allegedly put into them.
You seem to see the impediment to scientific progress as theism. I do not. I see the impediments are ossifying orthodoxy and overly interial bureacracy and established process, whether theistic or atheistic.
And today the one of the most reactive of impediences to delightful scientific progress is the evolutionist orthodoxy -- I think that is obvious.
I think what they *meant* was that without the love of God they might not have been driven to explore nature.
Your mileage may vary, for a number of reasons--please recall that intellectual pride, curiosity, phobia, etc. also motivate people.
Oh, yes, there is a great deal more money and time being thrown at science nowadays than there was in the 1400's to 1600's : and indeed, we have the advantage (lacking to the scientific pioneers) that we take the concept and practice of empiricism for granted (no pun on grant money...)
Cheers!