There's no idiom in the phrase "..die and be gathered to your people..". It is not the body that is gathered but the spirit- the body will return to dust where it came from.
Why should I believe that it refers to the Spirit being 'gathered' to the people, when there is no evidence in the Bible of the idea of the patriarchs spirits being scattered (isn't that what you believe, really, rather than gathered) among the other people. You are using circular reasoning, assuming your doctrine exists, and then reading it into verses that do not teach it.
I'm quoting this from a page on the topic on stackexchange because I don't feel like looking up all the verses:
Genesis 15:15 As for you [Abraham], you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age.
Genesis 25:8 Abraham breathed his last and died in a ripe old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people.
Genesis 35:29 Isaac breathed his last and died and was gathered to his people, an old man of ripe age; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
Genesis 49:29 I [Jacob] am about to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite.
Numbers 20:24 Aaron will be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the sons of Israel, because you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.
udges 2:10 All that generation [Joshua's] also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.
Notice one verses says gathered to their fathers. These individuals fathers were already physically dead. Their bodies were buried.
As much as Jacob said he will be gathered to his people, it was still the word of God- he was inspired to say that.
If gathering is only an idiom for mourning, then Jesus only mourns the elect when it is said He will gather them from the four corners.
Why would the gathering of the elect at the rapture be the same as a patriarch being 'gathered to his people' at death?
You are the one who redefines 'caught up' with your 'traditional view', Paul said he will die, be raised and be caught up with his listeners at Corinth.
Show me that in either of the books to the COrinthians.
If what Paul said is true, then it actually happened, no need to redefine this by saying it was symbolic or an idiom; if it was symbolic then, it should be symbolic in the end of age- why do you believe it will happen in the end of age when Paul said it will happen in the 1st century?
I did not say it was symbolic or an idiom. Why would you think Paul would know the 'day or hour.' The Hebrews spoke of the LORD bringing 'us' out of Egypt, even centuries after the Exodus, though the individuals who said this were born long after the Exodus. He did not say it would happen at 'the first century.'
Group mentality doesn't work when it comes to understanding the bible, it leads many to the ditch.
So does being cut off from the church.