Hi Ari,

I am dividing your remarks into various points of agreement and objection, and
replying to them as follows:
Agreements:
1. Flood accounts and legends are prevalent worldwide. This is certainly
true, with hundreds and hundreds of ancient accounts and legends
worldwide. These are found among people who live in areas prone to
flooding and in areas were floods are virtually unknown. They have these
basic similarities: A few people were given warning of a coming flood, so
that they and some animals were able to survive on a floating vessel,
ending up on a mountain, while the rest of mankind and the animals
perished. For all these features to be incorporated in ancient accounts
and legends all over the earth, would indicate that such an event occurred
long ago, to humans who are the ancestors of everyone living today. Why
was not a worldwide epidemic, conflagration, volcanic eruption, drought or
other means of mass extinction not chosen for these hundreds of
accounts unless this had been an actual occurrence? How could a
universal flood caused by rain have posed a danger to those who
possessed these accounts and who lived in deserts, on mountains, or on
islands? Floods in these areas only affect a limited part of the
environment and would not require being a boat for a long period to
escape them.
2. There was a genetic bottleneck for humans long ago. The Bible
agrees with this, and also with the finding that these bottlenecks occurred
for the males of the human species at a different time than for the females.
Genetics says that there was a most-recent, common patrilineal ancestor
of all present-day male humans, and that there was a most-recent,
common matrilineal ancestress of all present-day female humans, and
that they lived at different time periods. This is exactly what the Bible
says. The most recent male who is the patrilineal ancestor of all men
today, according to the Bible, is Noah, for all men are descended from him
through his 3 sons. This was not true at that time for the women, for all
women today are descendants of more than 1 woman from the time of the
flood, being descended from Noah’s wife and the wives of her 3 sons,
these women having come from different families. The most recent
female who is the matrilineal ancestress of all women today, according to
the Bible, is Eve, the first woman, who lived long before Noah. Thus, the
Scriptural accounts harmonize with science.
Understanding genetic bottlenecks is an emerging science with time
estimates greatly varying, and with new discoveries occurring frequently.
As far as mammals go, there are ancient genetic bottlenecks among the
giant panda, the golden snub-nosed monkey, and the cheetah, according
to Wikipedia under "Population bottleneck: Other animals.” As to genetic
 bottlenecks that will be found in other species as scientific understanding
advances, only time will tell.
Objections:
1. Why destroy the land animals and not the aquatic ones? The Creator
decided to destroy the humans who were ruining the earth and the area
they lived in. Since they lived on land, and not in the ocean, the land
animals perished along with them, but not the aquatic ones.
2. How did all the animals, some living far away, get to the ark? The
ones living at a great distance would have been divinely directed to start
their migration months, or even years, in advance, so that they reached
the ark before the flood began.
3. Some animals and insects lives less than a year. How could they
have survived on the ark? Once in the dark confines of the ark, the
animals would have entered a state of hibernation, or something
approximating that, enabling short-lived ones to survive longer. Insects
would have laid eggs, in a designated portion of the ark, that remained
dormant until exposed to conditions favorable for their emergence.
4. How could the ark carry enough food to feed carnivorous animals
and others for a year? Being in a state of hibernation, or one
approximating that, the animals would require little, if any food.
5. How did the plants survive outside the ark? They would have survived
as seeds or spores, which have natural mechanisms to remain dormant
until conditions are favorable for growth and reproduction.
6. What happened to the Neanderthals? These either became extinct
before the flood or were a divergent sub-species that was absorbed back
into the rest of the human race (through inter-marriage) before the flood.
I hope that this information has been helpful.
Thank you,
Greg