Judge not...

I was discussing something the other day with Rose that made me think even more after we talked. The topic was how some people THINK you're judging them just because you choose a certain lifestyle for yourself. I brought up the fact that I don't swear and how people often think that I must be judging them because of the way they talk. If they swear in front of me they will apologize for offending me. I never told them not to swear in front of me and I never said I was offended. I never even talked about the fact that I choose not to swear. They just perceived that since I don't do it, I must hate that they do it.
It comes down to this: I believe in free will. I'm not going to ask anyone not to do something around me unless it really is detrimental to others. I don't want anyone smoking around Colin, for instance. But just because I don't smoke, doesn't mean I judge the individual who does. So, why is it that there are people who act like they are victims just because someone else chooses not to take part in activities that they do? I suppose it's because they want to feel justified in what they do and not feel guilty about it. Seeing someone for whom it may come easy to not do such things makes them feel guilty, and therefore judged. Ah, but was it the person who does not do those things that judged, or was it the person who felt guilty passing judgment onto themselves?
Something to think about....



Oh, and of course, a Colin picture (with Rose).