That is right. The Christian (medieval Roman Catholic) faith in God given laws of nature is what gave actual beginning and to the science. Foundations are often different from what is built on them. But what is even more often when the foundation is removed the building collapses.
Ahh, therin lies the rub. I happen to agree with you to a degree in that I
believe that God has bestowed upon us:
- A foundation of fundamental laws that govern nature (i.e., He is not a "trickster" that delights in continually changing the way our world works)
- Cognitive abilities as a species to reveal for ourselves (at least partially) those fundamental laws (i.e., science)
- The "drive" as a species to ask ourselves such questions and wonder about the workings of His creation
Now, if this is true then I have an added burden above the "godless believer" in science you referred to earlier: I have an
obligation to the Lord that I will use the gifts he has bestowed upon me to try to understand the world he has made for me. The atheist scientist can either conduct experiments or go home, but I don't have a choice (remember the parable about the talents?) - I have a moral and religious
responsibility to strive to comprehend the wonders of this universe.
Now, if I reject a theory that attempts to describe how our world operates simply because it makes me uncomfortable, or because it seems to defy some dogmatic aspect of my particular religious denomination then I am in effect rejecting God. It is God's challenge, and my responsibility, for me to try and comprehend how these things fit together. I can't just throw out the theory of evolution because I don't personally like it. For me, that would be turning away from God.