From A Course In Miracles:
T-21.II.9. We have already said that wishful thinking is how the ego deals with what it wants, to make it so.
There is no better demonstration of the power of wanting, and therefore of faith, to make its goals seem real and possible.
Faith in the unreal leads to adjustments of reality to make it fit the goal of madness.
The goal of sin induces the perception of a fearful world to justify its purpose. What you desire, you will see. And if its reality is false, you will uphold it by not realizing all the adjustments you have introduced to make it so.
Schucman, Dr. Helen. A Course in Miracles (p. 450). Foundation for Inner Peace.
Comment:
How we wish for things. We have our hearts set on what we think must be so, ought to be so, should be so.
The old saying is, "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it." We wish for all kinds of things which the world of the ego has told us will make us happier, safer, more attractice to others, more loved, smarter, more successful, etc.
When things don't seem to be working out we become frustrated, angry, resentful, afraid, embarassed, depressed, anxious, and we start treating these symptoms with chemicals like alcohol, drugs, medications, sex, gambling, video games, Facebook, religion, work, sex, food.
Sin is the separation from God, from the Oneness, and this induces guilt because unconsciously we think God will punish us for our separation and desire to be the boss of ourselves and our own lives. Our Universalist faith teaches us that God loves us uncondtionally and just laughs at our wilful insanity like a parent might laugh at a child engaged in childish activity.
Addiction is defined as "doing the same thing over and over hoping for a different result." And the Course asks us, "Would you rather be right or be happy."
Unfortunately, most of us would rather be right and we defend the misguided beliefs, values, practices that we hold dear.
What is called for is placement of our faith in the path of the spirit and not in the path of the ego. This means we look within and "get right with ourselves." This means being honest, being genuine, authentic, sincere, once again innocent.
Jesus has told us that unless we become as little children we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. What Jesus is talking about is a remembering our innocense before the world of the ego corrupted us misleading us to put our faith in things that could never make us happy. The belief in the power of immaginary things to provide us with a deep seated fulfillment and satisfaction is barkinig up the wrong tree. We have put our faith in the wrong things and the wrong place.
The third principle of Unitarian Universalism asks us to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Are you looking in the right place?.