Blacks as Cursed Canaanites
Quite a common and widely accepted myth in the 19th century was that blacks were descended from the Biblical Canaanites, and that Canaan, son of Ham, was under a curse - and this is how black slavery was justified. The only problem - the Canaanites weren't black. They were a Semitic people, and everything the Hebrews were - culturally, racially, religiously - they inherited from the Canaanites. A good way to think of it is the Hebrews were to the Canaanites as German Lutherans are to German Catholics. Most Christians abandoned this silly myth when it was discredited, but not the Latter-Day Saints. That's because it's canonized in the Pearl of Great Price. Bad ideas, trapped in the amber of "modern-day revelation."
Hot Drinks and the Temperance Movement
There's a good reason why the original revealed Word of Wisdom mentions hot drinks as something not good for the body - it was a popular, erroneous idea of the early 19th century. Later it was interpreted to mean that coffee and tea were bad for the body, but that also turned out to be an erroneous idea. The WoW is interesting in how it has been radically reinterpreted to suit changing but, again, erroneous ideas. The WoW originally commanded the moderate use of alcohol in the form of beer and wine - an idea that actually holds up today. But because early 20th century leadership was enamored of the Temperance Movement, the WoW's prohibition against "strong drinks" (ie distilled alcohol) suddenly became a prohibition of all alcohol, including mild barley drinks (beer) and wine. It was a great way to help the church build some bridges with a conservative, religious America in preparation for its expansion from Wasatch Front sect to international religion. But most of what's understood as the Word of Wisdom today has no basis in reality as a useful health code, and most of the parts that DO hold up are either ignored or reinterpreted. Bad ideas, trapped in the amber of "modern-day revelation."
The Anti-Masturbation Crusade
Curiously, the Church had no position on masturbation until the middle of the 20th century. While society in general went from viewing it as a treatment for hysteria to a serious social ill responsible for a multitude of physical and mental problems, the church was silent on the issue. It wasn't until medical science began to pick up on the fact that masturbation was an adaptive, healthy behavior that certain zealous church leaders came out against it. Suddenly, masturbation talk was everywhere. Bishops were interrogating twelve year olds about it. MTC and mission presidents were interrogating missionaries about it. Scientifically-iffy (okay, bogus) pamphlets talking about "little factories" were handed out to deacons, teachers and priests from coast to coast. Anti-masturbation hysteria was in full swing, when not too long previously, you could have masturbated thrice daily and held any leadership position in the church your heart desired. Of course, it turns out that masturbation not only prevents prostate cancer and, in couples, miscarriages, but its practice is also essential for a healthy sex life later on, especially for women. And there's not even a single passage of scripture or specifically mentioned modern revelation to justify its prohibition. Bad ideas, trapped in the amber of "modern-day revelation" in the post-revelation era.
