What is so offensive about metaphysics?

Perhaps the most famous reading of Genesis chapter 1 was on Christmas Eve 1968 when the first ten verses were read from space via the Apollo 8 spacecraft.

Offence was taken by Madalyn Murray O'Hair, an American atheist, who filed a lawsuit contesting that this was a violation of the separation between church and state.

This makes me ask the question, why do differing metaphysical views cause us such consternation? Why could she not accept it as an expression of someone else's faith, albeit one different to her own?

Undoubtedly whatever our worldview it is important to us, and for many of us it is important to try and share it with others. For the Christian the gospel is good news and therefore there is an imperative to share it. An atheist may look at religious wars and decide that for this reason they need to evangelise their own philosophy.

These can be seen as positive exertions of faith, but to actually go to the extent of complaining, or even suing someone, over the free expression of the poetry of Genesis 1 is baffling. Or is it?

We invest a great deal of ourselves in whatever our worldview is, so inevitably we will defend it. There is too the common need of 'I am right-ism' that makes us want to see other people finding our views persuasive.

This self-defence is a weakness. Those who are intellectually honest will accept the challenge to think and explore all possible alternatives without having to roll down the shutters. And those people will often be the less vocal and militant - because they don't need to be.