***I think any scientist who dismisses thoughts about the ultimate meaning behind the universe is a very shallow thinker. A good scientist knows the limitations of his vocation.***
I totally agree. Furthermore, I believe God gave us our intellect and free will so that we might pursue knowledge through science as a way of paying homage to His great deeds and truly appreciating that which He created for us, not so we could try and disprove his very existence.
What many people miss is that science is a tool to be used, not an end in itself. I think the earlier scientists like Newton, Galileo, Kepler, Copernicus, etc. had a much better grip on the relationship between science and faith. They were still able to make great strides in science even with what is considered today to be a great handicap.