I don't understand why you see this as a 'strawman' argument Linda. The idea of abiogenisis (sp?) that Russ has made it quite clear he's referring to was taught for quite some time as valid evolutionary theory and still exerts it's influence in the minds of many people. Not everyone is a scientist, and they don't all run to keep up on the most recent and ever changing evolutionary theories, most don't. If it was taught as valid theory just 25 or 30 years ago, then, in the minds of many living people, it still exists and influences their thinking in this regard, you can be sure.

RAZD described his defintion of evolution basically as 'phylogeny'., the tree theory essentially.

fact is, that is how life, mankind in particular since the bible is a record of a certain group of people and those that they encounter, is essentially described in the bible as well. The bible describes this tree or that tree, this branch that branch etc. It doesn't go into all the fine minute macro details of course but the basics are all there. the tree of life, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the branch of david, etc.

Russ makes an argument for the creator of the design. Whether or not that is applied to living organism or organic , even inorganic matter isn't really important, they all apply. Because in order for the tree to exist it must first have a place to exist. It had to begin somewhere. Phylogenics simply presents a form of the idea of encoded DNA, not sure if it's offically described that way, but biologists have been looking at this for years., encoded DNA. DNA of particular species of any sort that is encoded in part with what appear to be the essential code of life/biology/intelligence of or very similar to, all species. Where the 'code' came from is not being addressed by phylogenics.

Again, the bible has presented that idea from the outset, the tree of life, even if in vague terms. Evolution has theorized more complicated terms and intricate relationships not mentioned in the bible, but has yet to prove any of them in regard to contrasting species. God still holds the key.