What follows is a story that my wife heard in an SSPX retreat in Ridgefield in 1999. I have not found it online and so I introduce it here as I remember it:
Johnnie and His Little White Rabbit
"The father of the house came home and called all his children together. He then told them if they gathered up all of their toys, every single last one of them, and gave them away to the poor, that he would then buy them new toys, much more toys, and better toys. However, they had to give away every single toy or else they would not get anything.
The next day the father came home and found a big pile of toys stacked in the living room. He asked the children; is that all the toys, every single last one of them? All the children answered yes, but Johnnie. Johnnie was holding his hands behind his back. His father asked him, Johnnie, did you put all your toys in the pile? Johnnie answered yes, father. The father asked him, Johnnie, what do you have behind your back, show me your hands. Then Johnnie showed his little white stuffed rabbit, his favorite companion. His father said, Johnnie, remember, in order to get the new toys, much more toys than you have now, better toys, you have to give everything away, everything Johnnie. Johnnie answered back, no Daddy, not my little white rabbit, no, I can’t give him away".
(The father is Our Lord Jesus Christ, the toys are man’s earthly attachments which cause them to never receive sanctifying grace or to lose it. The new gifts are sanctifying grace and ultimately eternal bliss in Heaven)
As I read the comments of Catholic people on this and other forums, articles and books, I notice that the authors have white rabbits that they do not want to give up, and they look for church quotes to defend their rabbit and ignore the quotes that contradict what they believe. The Church being 2000+ years old, one can find whatever they want to find, outside of a few dogmas, almost anything today can be questioned using this same method. Thus we are left in “peace” to continue to live with our white rabbits. But, is that seeking truth? No, it is not.
In order to find truth, one has to be willing to accept that they may be partially or completely disproven in their beliefs, in their little white rabbits that they do not want to give up. In my experience, I have known very few people that are truly seeking truth. Mention one word opposed to their white rabbits and they go into their bunkers and start attacking every word, without an open mind to hear what may be the truth. I believe it is a sign of ignorance, having only a superficial grasp of the subject, they can’t defend their subject for very long, and so they immediately turn to war mode.
For Catholics : Annulment, NFP, R&R, Sedevacantes, follow the pope no matter what, Eucharistic ministering, communion in the hand, girl altar servers, active participation in mass, believing in salvation for all nice people, wearing no veils, tight revealing clothing, pants……….
For non-Catholics: There are innumerable white rabbits, the list would never end.