[BillyJack]

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck....
Is the U.S. a nation of ducks?


"In the fifth book of the Masnavi Rumi included several stories to illustrate why one should cut down the duck of gluttony, the cock of concupiscence, the peacock of ambition and ostentation, and the crow of bad desires. The story of how Muhammad converted a glutton who drank the milk of seven goats and then made a mess after being locked in a room shows the humility of the prophet in cleaning up the mess himself. He concluded that the infidels eat with seven bellies but the faithful with one. The peacock catches people by displaying itself. Pursuing the vulgar is like hunting a pig; the fatigue is extensive, and it is unlawful to eat it. Love alone is worth pursuing, but how can God be contained in anyone's trap? The most deadly evil eye is the eye of self-approval. The greed of the gluttonous duck is limited as is the greed of the lusty snake; but the peacock's ambition to rule can be many times as great. Worldly wealth and even accomplishments can be enemies to the spiritual life. These are the human trials that create virtue. If there were no temptations, there could be no virtue. Abraham killed the crow of desire in response to the command of God so that he would not crave anything else, and he killed the cock to subjugate pernicious desires"

http://www.san.beck.org/AB19-IslamCulture1095-1300.html

[Julliardsux]

I was just checking that passage out. But it sounds like the sniper views himself as the Duck.

[Julliardsux]

How about this: charles CHUCK MOOSE - DUCK NOOSE

[fields]

Thanks for posting the summary. I was in the process. You missed this first reference from the parable.

God draws you by kindness that may appear like the anger of a noose. …The Duck is too content with water to seek the Simurgh.

Perhaps it is coindicedence? Fields

[fields]

Thanks for posting the summary. I was in the process but you beat me to it. This was at the beginning of the parable.

God draws you by kindness that may appear like the anger of a noose. …The Duck is too content with water to seek the Simurgh

Maybe a coincidence but is eerie?

[PoisedWoman]

but how can God be contained in anyone's trap?

Well, there you have the sniper's message. Remember, he calls himself God. There may be more in that passage too but I'm too tired to dig it out. Any ideas?