"One more thing..."
Lt. Columbo
Stand To Reason's "Columbo Tactic" taps into a deep truth : one of the most powerful ways to persuade someone is by asking a good question.
Why is that?
One, asking a good question engages your listener. It requires them to think and respond. It gets their wheels turning. Their mind is more involved.
Two, your listener is less likely to tune you out. How often has your mind heard 'blah, blah, blah' when someone was preaching at you?
Three, asking a good question shifts the burden of proof away from you to your listener. Sometimes it is best to let them defend their presupposition instead of you always scrambling to play defense.
Four, sometimes people dig themselves into a position by answering the wrong question. When you come along and state your case, you are presenting an answer to a question they are not even asking. Naturally they reject your case because it doesn't fit the question they are asking. You are better off if you get them to ask the right question and follow logic to get the right answer.
One of the best examples of question asking, besides Lt. Columbo, is our Savior himself. I'll give you an example in my first Jesus The Logician post ... due out anyday now.
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