The truth does not need to be defended.

The words of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross—“The truth does not need to be defended”—echo with a stillness that pierces the noise of the world. They remind us that truth is eternal, unchanging, and sovereign. Unlike lies, which must be constantly justified, cloaked, and guarded with elaborate explanations, truth stands firm on its own. It is like a mountain: whether men praise it or deny it, it remains unmoved. Those who live in truth do not need to fight to protect it, for reality itself will always, in time, bear witness.

The ancients knew this well. In the East, the sages spoke of Satya, truth, as the eternal law of the cosmos, shining quietly whether men acknowledge it or not. In Greece, philosophers like Plato taught that truth is not invented but uncovered—like the sun, it needs no defense, for it reveals itself by its own light. Kübler-Ross, who dedicated her life to studying death and the human spirit, knew that in the face of the ultimate reality—mortality—no argument, no defense, no falsehood can stand. Truth is what remains when all illusions fall away.

History shows us this principle with clarity. Consider Galileo Galilei, who was condemned for teaching that the Earth moved around the Sun. The Church sought to silence him, to defend against what they believed was heresy. Yet Galileo himself said, “And yet it moves.” Though men denied it, the truth needed no defense—it was woven into the fabric of the heavens. Centuries passed, and the orbits of the planets proved what had always been. The truth waited in silence until men were ready to accept it. Lies perished; truth endured.

We also see this in the life of Mahatma Gandhi, who built his philosophy of nonviolence upon the power of truth. Gandhi called it Satyagraha—“holding to truth.” He understood that truth, unlike lies, does not require violence or force to establish itself. The British Empire used weapons, armies, and prisons to defend its lies of superiority and dominion. Gandhi resisted not with swords but with the strength of truth itself. In the end, the empire crumbled, and the truth of India’s freedom stood tall. Thus we see Kübler-Ross’s words lived out: truth does not need defense, for it conquers by its very nature.

Yet there is another lesson here. When we defend too fiercely, when we argue endlessly, when we rage and lash out to prove ourselves right, often it is not truth we are protecting, but our own pride. Truth does not tremble under attack. It is only the ego that fears exposure. To live in truth is to stand calmly, to let reality itself speak. Defense may be necessary for people, for nations, for reputations—but truth itself requires none of it. It shines whether hidden or revealed, whether embraced or denied.

The practical teaching is this: let us align our lives with truth, and then rest in its strength. Speak honestly, act with integrity, and allow time to prove what is real. Do not exhaust yourself defending every word, nor become enraged when others doubt you. If you are rooted in truth, your life itself will testify. And when you encounter others, seek not to force them to believe, but to live as a mirror of truth, allowing them to see its power without coercion.

Therefore, O seeker, remember: truth is self-sufficient. Lies are fragile, needing constant defense, but truth is eternal. Live in such a way that your words and deeds correspond with reality, and you will find yourself unshaken even when challenged. Trust in truth’s endurance, and you will walk in peace. For when the dust of argument settles and the illusions of men dissolve, it is truth alone that remains, needing no defender, for it has always been, and shall always be.