Old Earth Creationsm vs. Theistic Evolution

Since Pro has forfeited Round Two, I will begin by presenting my arguments for evolution."Evolution" and "theistic evolution" definedThe modern-day theory of evolution, sometimes referred to as neo-Darwinism, has four parts.1. Organic evolution, the composite of macro- and microevolution, occurs. In other words, the creatures we see today are descendants of other species that changed over time.2. This change occurs through the gradual genetic transformation of populations of species over a vast period of time.3. Speciation, or the rise of a new species through the splitting of a single genetic lineage into two, occurs.4. Natural selection plays a large part in the afore-mentioned processes.(1)Theistic evolution is the same as neo-Darwinism, except that it also teaches that a deity was involved to some unknown extent in the process. As I mentioned in the comments, this deity could have 1) wound the whole system up and let it run or 2) started it up and intervened here and there or 3) guided the entire process from the start to finish.Evidence for evolutionThere is an overwhelming amount of evidence supporting the theory of evolution. I will be presenting only a brief overview.The fossil recordWithin the fossil record we find a progression of simple to complex fossils, with the simplest being found in the oldest rock and the most complex being found in the most newly formed. To provide just one example, I quote an article from Baylor university:Mammals, for example, are prevalent today and can be traced back in the fossil record for approximately 200 million years, but are not present as mammals in the fossil record before that; however, fossil forms that have reasonably been interpreted to be associated with the evolutionary precursors to mammals are found in older rocks.(2) This is exactly what the theory of evolution would predict.Similarities between the living creatures of a region and the fossils present in the same regionDarwin observed that the species that live in a region closely resemble the fossils of extinct species found in the same region. This suggests that the living creatures are descendants of the fossilized creatures.(3)Vestigial organs and behaviorsThere are many vestigial organs and behaviors that can be found in nature. The accepted definition for vestigial organs among the scientific community is "organs or structures remaining or surviving in a degenerate, atrophied, or imperfect condition or form." Examples include the wings of flightless birds, the sexual organs of the dandelion, the erector pili and body hair of humans, the eyes of blind fish and human wisdom teeth, among others.(5) There is absolutely no reason why God would give these creatures such features or the DNA to develop them later on.Imperfect designsThere are many imperfect designs in humans and other creatures. To give just one of many possible examples, evolutionary biologist Jerry A. Coyne points out thebad design of the recurrent laryngeal nerve--a nerve that runs from the brain to the larynx, helping us speak and swallow. In mammals, this nerve doesn't take a direct route but descends into the chest, loops around the aorta near the heart, and then runs back up the larynx. It is several times longer than it needs to be.(6)Why would God create humans in a finished condition with such an imperfect feature?ConclusionThere is a large body of evidence to be found in nature to support the theory that organisms evolve from simpler life forms over time.I look forward to my opponent's rebuttal.Sources1. Brockman, John. Intelligent Thought: Science Versus the Intelligent Design Movement. New York: Random House, 2006.2. http://www.baylor.edu...3. Ibid., Brockman.4. http://www.livescience.com...5. Ibid.6. Ibid., Brockman