A Worldwide Flood?

Secularists scoff at the notion of a world-spanning Deluge as described in Genesis. This doesn't surprise me, nor does it trouble me all that much; scoffing at the Bible and secularism complement each other like peanut butter and jelly.

On the other hand, Christians who take a skeptical view of the Flood concern me more. I don't understand such incredulity. Let's look at a few verses in hopes of shedding a little light on this subject:

And God said to Noah, The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. And, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.--Genesis 6:13

And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.--Genesis 6:17

and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.--Genesis 7:4

Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,--Genesis 7:8

Question: If the Flood was a local event, why was representation in the ark's manifest of every thing that crept on the earth necessary?

And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.--Genesis 7:15

And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.--Genesis 7:19-23

neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.--Genesis 8:21

And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.--Genesis 9:11

and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.--Genesis 9:15

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;--2 Peter 2:5

Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:--2 Peter 3:6

Further questions for pondering: If the Flood was localized, why build an ark? Why not simply travel out of the endangered region? Why have winged animals capable of flying great distances aboard? Doesn't the plain meaning of the text indicate a global catastrophe? Doesn't the geological record and its attendant fossils and laying of sediments point toward a worldwide Deluge?

Also keep in mind that traditions of a global Flood exist within numerous cultures, such as that of the:

Greeks
Hindus
Chinese
Druids
Polynesians
Mexicans
Peruvians
American Indians
Greenlanders
Babylonians
Assyrians
Persians
Phrygians
Eskimos
Brazilians
Australian Aborigines

Practically every branch and/or sub-category of the human race has such stories within its cultural traditions. In my opinion, the universality of these tales stretches credibility, if there was no Global Flood.