animals on the ark

I think many of you fail to notice the most important point concerning whether or not a worldwide flood actually existed. If anyone has read the newest translation to the Epic of Gilgamesh, an epic that quite possibly predated the construction of the Old Testament, you will find an extremely similar account of the flood story. Several other cultures also incoprorate flood stories into their religions and myths. What is important to look at is who told the flood story first and if each civilization would have the knowledge of each other's existence. Or perhaps they merely copied off each other. Could this mean there actually was a huge flood (in all reality it was probably only a portion of the land), for at that time most not the entire world was populated, or was this a common knowledge that religious groups merely reproduced. Also, many of you forget that not all creationists believe the bible to be literal. Some find several scientific errors but merely look past it to find symbolism and "deeper meaning". So in all actuality the account of Noah's ark does seem incorrect, but that does not erase the deep culutural influences it possesses. That, I feel, is the most important part.