The Bible is the inerrant ... word of the living God. It is absolutely infallible,without error in all matters pertaining to faith and practice, as well as in areas such as geography, science, history, etc.
-- Jerry Falwell, Finding Inner Peace and Strength

Are you aware that a great many non-Christian, non-Judaic cultures also have folk tales about a great flood in ancient times? The North American Indians, for example, have such tales.

Yes - I was aware that it probably derived from the identical myth was in Babylonian culture and several others. As a folkie I am used to folktales. But if it is symbolic - what is it symbolic of?

Actually good old Jerry Falwell wants a return to a male-orientated society. I am sure you can find your own quotes but try this one:

"It appears that America's anti-Biblical feminist movement is at last dying, thank God, and is possibly being replaced by a Christ-centered men's movement which may become the foundation for a desperately needed national spiritual awakening".

On the other hand, it could be another symbolic tale, a parable, told in order to prove a point of some kind. There were many such tales in ancient times, and people took them quite seriously as a form of moral guidance.

Incest and rape as a form of moral guidance? What interesting interpretations you christians do have.

Abraham went around introducing his wife as his sister on a couple of occasions and then almost set fire to his son Isaac on God's command. Symbolic maybe, allegory possibly - clearly straightforward child abuse.

The problem is that whatever you tell us there are plenty of people in the USA (not so many in Europe thank goodness) who have political power over people and who will tell you the Bible is the literal truth.

People will constantly ask atheists from whence their morality derives. The christian derives theirs from the Bible we are told.

Clearly they read a different Bible to me.