![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/HoodedPeregrine-212x300.jpg\")
Our word “hoodwinked” is actually a falconry term. We use it to mean “to deceive,” but Webster notes that the word also means “to blind by covering the eyes.” The falconer must hoodwink his falcon. At the beginning of training, the bird rides hooded on his owner’s arm. The hood allows the bird to adjust to the sound of his owner without being frightened by the sight of him. Later the hood is removed and even the noise of many people does not intimidate the bird.<\/p>\n
However, the bird quickly learns to dislike the hood and begins to dodge as the falconer attempts to replace it. And so the falconer places a small piece of meat in the hood and the falcon puts his head nearly all the way into the hood to get the meat. The bird gets the meat, but he also gets hooded!<\/p>\n
An over-fed or “fed-up” (another falconry term) bird is hard to train, so the falconer cannot use meat every time he hoods his falcon. He leaves the meat off one time, the falcon looks for the meat … and gets hooded for his trouble! If this continues, the bird soon learns that he gets the hood but no food! When he begins dodging the hood again, the falconer entices him with meat on the other side of the opening for the beak in the hood. The bird hoods himself as he goes for the meat which, incidentally, he does not get to eat! He has been hoodwinked!<\/p>\n
Many people get “hoodwinked” by Satan. He does not use a literal hood, but he does entice them into the darkness of sin with empty promises. We are tempted when we are enticed by our own desires (James 1:13-15). Just as the falconer lures the bird with meat, so Satan appeals to our desires. The falcon never intends to get hooded; he just wants the meat. We never intend to become the slaves of sin; we just want to fulfill our fleshly desires.<\/p>\n
The “meat,” of course, varies with different individuals. For some, it is the pleasures that money affords. Satan holds out the promise of prosperity and men willingly engage in dishonesty, neglect of family, and other sinful behaviors to seize the meat. Often they find themselves cloaked in darkness, punished by the consequences of their behavior (I Timothy 6:9). For others, the lure is sexual pleasure. Fornication by the unmarried, affairs among the married, pornography — Satan “hawks” the pleasures of these activities, but the end of such behavior is darkness.<\/p>\n
The Bible warns of the consequences of grabbing after the “meat” of fleshly lusts — they “war against the soul<\/em>” (I Peter 2:11). I do not believe the falcons think, “Rats, hooded again! And where is the meat he promised?” However, men and women often regret being lured into sin and darkness. Don’t allow yourself to be “hoodwinked” by Satan!<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Allen Dvorak via Gospel Power, Vol. 15, No. 10, Mar. 9, 2008. Our word “hoodwinked” is actually a falconry term. We use it to mean “to deceive,” but Webster notes that the word also means “to blind by covering the eyes.” The falconer must hoodwink his falcon. At the beginning of training, the bird…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[179],"class_list":["post-55971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-sin"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":91447,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/that-wise-bird\/","url_meta":{"origin":55971,"position":0},"title":"That Wise Bird","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 22, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Gary Henry via WordPoints.com \"So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath\" (James 1:19). Our possession of two ears and only one mouth is not an accident. Since we learn more by listening than talking, listening is more valuable\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":14123,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/who-is-the-bird-of-prey-in-isaiah-4611\/","url_meta":{"origin":55971,"position":1},"title":"Who is the bird of prey in Isaiah 46:11?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Calling a bird of prey\u00a0from the east, The man\u00a0who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed\u00a0I have spoken\u00a0it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed\u00a0it; I will also do it. (Isaiah 46:11) Can you tell me who the \"bird of prey\" and \"the man who\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/cyrus_portrait-220x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":20541,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-far-should-a-christian-go-in-making-sure-meat-was-properly-prepared\/","url_meta":{"origin":55971,"position":2},"title":"How far should a Christian go in making sure meat was properly prepared?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 19, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: How far does God expect Christians to go in determining if meat has been properly prepared for consumption (i.e. the blood has been drained and the animal has not been strangled)?\u00a0 I know that I Corinthians 10:25-31 talks about not asking questions for (the other person's) conscience' sake, but\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21346,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/if-god-wanted-us-to-eat-meat-why-did-he-give-animals-defenses\/","url_meta":{"origin":55971,"position":3},"title":"If God wanted us to eat meat, why did He give animals defenses?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 15, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: If God wanted us really to eat meat, then why did He make animals with senses? Why give animals some kind of self-defense? If really Noah's word is true, why don't you eat the flesh of a tiger every day? Why don't you yourself go and kill a python\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":51757,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/did-animals-start-eating-meat-after-the-fall-of-man\/","url_meta":{"origin":55971,"position":4},"title":"Did animals start eating meat after the fall of man?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 15, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Thank you for the wonderful and comprehensive website with so much Bible-based information.\u00a0 I'm reading it daily and learning so much. Many thanks. One question comes to mind that I did not find an answer to, although the Bible does mention that the first animals in creation ate the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9476,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/isnt-it-a-contradiction-when-god-changed-his-mind-about-the-eating-of-animals\/","url_meta":{"origin":55971,"position":5},"title":"Isn’t it a contradiction when God changed His mind about the eating of animals?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 17, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I read\u00a0your article\u00a0about contradictions in the Bible, and I agree most are silly ones and, unfortunately, usually malicious.\u00a0 However, I feel I have something rather genuine to present to you.\u00a0 (Yes, I am a vegan. This will clarify a few things about my perspective.) 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