The implication of the word strongly suggests that the people were fragmented in their thinking which consequently gave rise to wrong conclusions. Once they were settled upon wrong conclusions, because of popular opinion, they followed falsity and were indicted for idolatry. Opinion is never conclusive, therefore it can never be convicting. It is merely a persuasion caused by either partial information, faulty information, traditional information, group think influences or a host of other variables. Everyone has an opinion about something.
Some folks have an opinion about everything.
Yet, there are very few that have come to a personal judgment or conviction. The word judgment holds forth the idea of a trial or contest in determining the truth. Judgment is also used in the sense of condemnation, or accusation. This use is insightful if we apply it in making an important conclusion upon any given matter. In every proper decision making process, one must first gather all the data, then filter it through a barrage of tests, separating truth from error.