What is improvement of self and our world if not redemption? Where does this redemption and our salvation have its source? It is God, God in our midst, God among us.
I don't disagree with you on that. Maybe it's just the way you worded your post earlier that made me think you were saying something else. But if you're talking about redemption and the reconciliation of our relationship with God, then we're on the same page.
The point I am trying to make, Buttercup, the story of the flood is not about believing that two of every kind of animal on the planet was on the ark--or that the flood covered the entire planet. The story is about renewal and how that renewal is no easy thing. How close was Noah to God after the flood? What mistakes did Noah make with his chance of renewal? How close to God did Adam and Eve remain after they left the garden?
The Bible is not simply the story of Adam and Eve or of Noah, Abraham, and Moses. It our story, the story of mankind. It is a story of renewal and redemption...and of mankind once again slipping away from God. If we are not completely blind, we should be able to note this at least with our atheist brothers and sister. But what we should also see--and we are bigger failures at seeing this--that people of faith, you and I, are also slipping away from God, because you and I are just as much a part of mankind as any non-believer.
Yes, of course the stories in the bible have a bigger meaning, and they all tie in with the overarching story. However, I wouldn't say it's the story of mankind. I would say it's about God and us, how He made a way for us, for the world to be redeemed. When people think of the Gospel they usually think only of the New Testament. But really, the entire bible, both old and new testaments, is basically the Gospel message.
I don't understand what you meant by people of faith are also slipping away from God. I disagree with that. If one is in Christ, born from above by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, then we can never fully slip away from God. We might have times of straying, yes... but God will always bring us back, and we will always have God with us, there are tons and tons of scriptures that make that clear.
When atheists tell me I cannot really believe, I cannot truly know--they are very wrong on both counts. Instead what they should iterate, where they would be spot on, is that even with knowledge, belief, and faith I am slipping away from God at the same rate as they because, like them, I am human. I cannot stop knowing, I cannot stop believing--that would be a lie--but at least I can and should acknowledge, believer and non-believer, our connection and that we are drifting.
I might be misunderstanding you, but if not, we'll have to agree to disagree. Yes, of course we're all human, and we all miss the mark. And again, yes, even as believers we sometimes stray from God. However, if we have received the gift of salvation, if we are born from above, you can NEVER lose God. You can NEVER go from being spiritually born to being unborn. That is just as impossible as a newborn baby going back into his mother's womb. Also, once we're justified and born spiritually, we (ideally) should be growing spiritually and getting closer to God, slowly over time, not drifting away. But I don't want to take this thread too off topic. lol
This is why, as a Catholic, I have such deep reverence for the Eucharist. It is literally a life-line as I drift away.
As a nondenominational Christian, I see it a little differently, but I do agree that it is something important that reminds us of what Jesus did for us... and would have done for us even if we were literally the only person in the world.
What the Bible also assures us is that we will be gathered back. May we all see that day.
I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to... are you talking about heaven? Again, I don't want to get too off topic here, but I know that as a non-Catholic (I would say ex-Catholic but even though I went to Catholic church off and on growing up, I wasn't even a believer at that time) you and I have some differing views.
I always appreciate your posts though even when we disagree, and it's always good to hear different insights on certain things. I think all of us (regardless of our views) can always learn from others.