RE: [asa] AIG -- Scientists! Give it up!

RE: [asa] AIG -- Scientists! Give it up!I've had a varied career - I was a
technical salesperson as well. I was very successful. I read a lot of the
typical stuff. I prefer the Dale Carnegie, Norman Vincent Peale and Zig
Ziglar variety. All those great old sayings have truth to them - you catch
more flies with honey, you can lead a horse to water... and so forth.

People need to be pulled in, not scared away.

Besides, the truth is generally somewhere in the middle. It is trivially
true that God could have made the earth to seem to be billions of years old.
It is also trivially true that every occurrence that could happen, did
happen and the expanse of time and space is such to accomodate it.

However, commenting on the latter, from what I've read about biology, there
is virtually no way that the first life occurred on its own. Beyond that,
given our place in space and time and our condition, things could have
progressed.

However, the more I read, the more I find that we are perched on a narrow
precipice of probability. The atomic state that determines all our being is
delicately balanced between the strong force and the electromagnetic force.
Why do they exist as they do? If they did not - we would not exist. The
galaxy itself is delicately balanced between gravity and an outward
expansion that would be too rapid for the appropriate elements to form. Were
things not balanced as they are, then oxygen and carbon would not exist in
quantities capable of supporting life.

God reigns. He made us with brains and yes, the YECs frequently take those
brains and hide them in the sand like an ostrich. But, Dick, you, on the
otherhand seem to have lost your sense of appreciation of the magnitude of
God in your anger at the YECs. The sense of wonder is valuable. It enriches
our lives. And it is attractive to others.

A sense of security is attractive to others, and that is part of what the
YECs provide with their absolutism.

What is your selling point? Why do I want what you sell? How is it valuable
to me? How will it enrich my life? Why do I WANT to accept it?

You can be right, right, right and totally lose, lose, lose.

One of the wisest quotes I ever heard is, "Sometimes, you can be right, or
you can be happy - but you have to choose."

A variation is, "You can be right, or you can get what you want - but not
both."

Maybe it doesn't sound very scientific - but there is plenty of empirical
evidence to support it.

If you want to win against any opponent in sales -
you don't mention your opponent unless the customer does. Never give free
advertising to the adversary.
You listen to the customer and hear what is important to him.
You take the parts of your product that appeal to his wants and needs and
stress those features. Some of these may be in common with the opponent. You
don't need to tell him they are in common - but if he notices, agree. You
may then stress the nuances that are different. Gently.
You never, ever say anything negative against the opponent in a declaritive
or general way.
You may state specifics that have been scientifically refuted - but this
should be done sparingly and with care. This is where you really run the
risk of being right and losing.
Ask a lot of leading questions. If you are saying something to discredit
your opponent, preface it with "you probably heard" or "Did you realize?" Or
"Did you ever wonder". Give sources. Pay attention to body language - if the
person is stiffening up and becoming less friendly, then move back into
common ground. Stress what you have in common with your opponent. Talk about
his selling points that are also yours.
If the customer attacks your adversary, then agree and substantiate your
customer - but do so gently without ever saying anything generally
disparaging. Stick to the facts. Don't get all het up.

Your customer, if involved with your adversary, has his/her ego tied to the
adversary. Bulldozing someone that they like will make them defend that
person because they like them - and also because your are secondhandedly
calling your customer a fool.

I hope this helps.
  -----Original Message-----
  From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu]On
Behalf Of Dick Fischer
  Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2006 9:55 PM
  To: ASA
  Subject: RE: [asa] AIG -- Scientists! Give it up!

  Pollyanna wrote:

  I know that everyone doesn't agree - but this attack of the YECs, no
matter what they say, seems to have other than pure intellectual motives.

  How did Christ treat the money changers in the temple? Did Christ say
"woe" to the poor Jewish peasants, or did he say it to the Pharisees who
should have known better? What happens to those who cause their brothers to
stumble? Do you think AIG and ICR are nothing but an ignorant bunch of
wide-eyed innocents? Grow up!

  YEC has all the earmarks of a cult, pure and simple. Convince people the
Bible can't be trusted in matters of science, and they will believe it can't
be trusted at all for anything. That's the legacy of YEC. Maybe that's not
their intention, but maybe Judas had good intentions too. Plus, they make
good money at it. Beats telling the truth for a meager reward.

  Dick Fischer

  Dick Fischer, Genesis Proclaimed Association

  Finding Harmony in Bible, Science, and History

  www.genesisproclaimed.org

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Received on Mon Jul 24 11:18:59 2006