Lederman was joking about the epitheton "Goddamn", if the Wikipedia article quoted by Jack the Sailor above (05 Jul 12 - 04:11 PM) is correct. And certainly the name "God particle" is ironic to some extent, in a widespread tradition which most notably included Albert Einstein.

Nevertheless, Fossil: The revelations of theoretical phyics are open for any Doubting Thomas to check if he really wants. The word "existence" is somewhat misleading, since the "particles" of modern physics are only mathematical concepts, which however may or may not pass experimental tests.

Sacrifices for truth? A tricky question. Anyway, many selfish creditors (including taxpayers who vote) seem to think that particle physics pays at the end of the day financially as well. Nowadays all branches of science must struggle for money, and have recently developed rhetorical competences to justify themselves, like politicians. This is sometimes regretted by the very same people who had asked for it.