Voting Station

Ham (Son of Noah)

Please vote to return to collections.

Biblical Character

The Resume

    Son of Noah
    Traditionally the forefather of the nations of Africa
    'Uncovered the nakedness' of his father when Noah got drunk one post-flood day
    Noah responded by cursing Ham's son Canaan to be 'servant of servants' for Ham's brothers, Shem and Japheth

Why he might be annoying:

    To explain the severity of the curse, the Talmud suggests that Ham's real transgression may have been either castrating Noah or sodomizing him.
    Based on passages in Leviticus, other Biblical scholars suggest that 'uncovered his father's nakedness' was a euphemism for Ham having sex with his mother.
    The 'curse of Ham' was used by generations of racists to justify slavery and discrimination against blacks.

Why he might not be annoying:

    Many modern Biblical scholars see the 'curse of Ham' as a rationalization for Israel's conquest of the Canaanites.
    Maybe the severity of the curse was simply the result of Noah being in a bad mood when hungover.
    Most modern-day racists don't use pseudo-religious arguments like the 'curse of Ham' to justify their beliefs. (They prefer pseudo-scientific arguments like 'The Bell Curve' these days.)

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 87.50% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 15 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 21 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 19 Votes: 52.63% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 18 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 35 Votes: 62.86% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 42 Votes: 59.52% Annoying