The person who bravely loves The Truth, first maeks himself free and independent from human weaknesses and false beliefs. And only then, such a person has the moral right and duty, to direct The Truth to the others. With such an attitude and action, he will inspire the truth-loving and uninformed people, who will in time, become the loyal followers, heralds, and the brave defenders of - the beauty and power of The Truth. Simultaneously, the brave defenders of The Truth must know and except, that they will become, more often than not, the object of hate, aversion, defamation, false accusation and, not so rarely, even - the victims of The Truth, by all those people who, for whichever reason - do not cherish The Truth.

  The beauty and power of a Noble Thought depends on man with the truth in himself and in the world. It creates both worlds: the inner one, which forms man's personality, an the outer one, which forms the society of a nation. On such an Ideal, realized within man himself, and within a society, depends human existence and fate.

  Why were so many great and noble men - saints, heoes, ganii, philosopers and writers of the humanity - aware, each one in his own way, of the tragic reality or majesty, even of a divine power, of an Ideal Thought? Socrates and Plato, have illuminated the heavens with their Ideals. Fichte and Hegel have their worlds built of Ideals. For Goethe, the Ideal was the Supreme Thought above everything else: "What is called Ideal, this the law of all creations".

  But, what is the value of even the noblest ideal, system of thought or ideology, regardless how much they are divine, if they have no power, by or from themselves, to become reality? All ideals are potential, gentle and quietly attractive powers. Yet, ideals are nothing, if there is no man to hear them, to be enticed by them, to embrace them; first with his whole heart, and then to become their enthusiastic follower - modling the Ideal into reality.

  The Bible story, "The Sower and The Seeds", portrays this relationship between an Ideal and man in a wonderfully clear and true manner. The Noble Truth is waiting for the right man, to entice him with its beauty and power. Only in their metamorphosis, the power of an Ideal gives the right man, a divine iamge and the strength to - "move mountains". It was not in vain, that once, in the meddle of the day, Diogenes, with a lit lamp, was looking for - the right man.

  Thinking of this has always been of great importance, especially in this time of ours. In moral philosophy and politics, it takes the central stage of significance. When we study the political events, we can notice that all political failures are the consequences of man's treason to his Ideal. Of what use is a political idea, no matter how great, if that Thought does not have a truly right man, one who is up to his Ideal? A man, who is in love with his Ideal, whose heart, soul and mind, are completely involved in a Noble human creativity!

  Otherwise, what does it matter to a Noble Ideal, if it falls "in the hands" of a phony man? A man, whose heart is polluted with vices, to whom the ideal is only a glittering ornament, to mask and hide the weaknesses, of his - mind and character? To whom, an Ideal is his legitimate identity only for - his illegitimate behaviour, in attaining the most profitable way for making money, thus achieving the material power and glory?

  And again, what is the value of a - "good man", who is without a Noble ideal? No doubt, there are many people with good intentions. Goodness is always a value in itself. But, the goodness of the ones who are passive, lazy fearful or "neutral", without will and action, to participate and contribute to - the common Good of society or his country, are not of much value to anybody, except to - themselves. Moreover, they usually "freely" enjoy the common benefits, contributed by the effors and sacrifices of their noble fellowmen. Such "good people" limit themselves only to their - "good wishes"! A Serbian proverb makes the point about such a "good man", saying: "And the sheep is good also, but it is not good for the mayor of the town"! Without an enthusiastic will for creativity and courage to sacrifice, such "good men", unfortunately, make up the majority of the citizens, and have always been the greatest obstacle to any - Noble, religious, national or political Ideal.

  And now, what can we say about those - religious, educational, philosophical, political - amorphus, and yet "responsible leaders", who neither have - a Noble Ideal nor possess Moral qualities? With their moral, political, financial, militaristic - unscrupulousness, they are, indeed, - the curse to every country and the world, regardless of their "religious faith or political ideologies"! The Western and Eastern European history of our century has seen in them the main cause for the tragic sufferings and loss of countless millions of innocent lives, destructios of the European cultures and nations. The great and noble creations of the previous historical mentors, in many fields of human creativity, who had stood the test of time and were revered as the truest Teachers of Humanity; make us compare, according to the rule of the law of contrast, to notice in full measure the tragic historical Truth, about - the lawness of our present world "leaders", of the Lilliputians' heart and thought!

  The true realization of a Great, religious, national and political Ideal, requires the noble and brave man (woman) only, of the standard of - heroes and martyrs. This is the one and only criterion for the justified human creativity and existence, of individuals, societies, nations, humanity. Because: MAN WITHOUT THOUGHT IS - NOTHING! THOUGHT WITHOUT MAN IS - NOTHING!

  How is one to search, to learn and to know - The Truth? Which Thought is to be chosen, as the guiding star of human life? For which worthy Ideal, should we live and die? The answers were given a long time ago. They are found in:

  The imitation of Christ, and in all the noblest and bravest men and women, who imitated Christ only. Let all those, who don't believe and don't know try, even for the sake of curiosity and experiment, search for - The Truth with Love and Courage! In no time, The Truth will entice them for ever.

Ljubisa S. Popovic

(Excerpt from the book "In Exile - Quest for The Truth" by Ljubisa S. Popovic)