I was half-watching a show earlier today and they mentioned "love bombing" as a cult tactic to recruit people. Later one of the members talked about having to work 12-14 hour days for the cult. The members were too exhausted trying to keep up to have any time to think about what they were doing was right or wrong.

I've heard this is common to TSCC. Is there a name for this?

The love bombing they call "fellow-shipping". The tactic of over working people is to give callings that are "issued by the lord" (so you can't say no), family home evening, service projects, attend the temple, home/visit teach, etc.

My brother, Flecher, and I recently received "love bomb" messages from our youngest and TBMest sister.

These messages were on facebook, where she shunned both of us last year. Gee, do you think there's an agenda? We both deleted her drivel.

Yeah, a lot of cults make their members work for long hours at a time. Mormons don't generally do this, except when you are a missionary.

That is when the brainwashing happens the hardest.

Once my mission president had a revelation that we had to work for 100 hours one week. We slept for about two hours, got up to study, and then early in the morning we were out. We would knock doors all day, spend five minutes eating lunch, and then knock doors well into the night.

By the end of the week we were exhausted. I even felt super blessed for my effort, and certainly wasn't questioning anything.

Whenever I read about cults and the stuff that they make their members do, I always think back to that week.

Don't forget or minimize the psychological control mormonism exercises.

Whether you are a missionary or working 14 hour days does not matter if you are a true TBM since your total emotional and cognitive focus 24/7 is driven by mormonism.

*Have I said my AM prayers?
*Have I sought the spirit about my day's work/school/activities?
*Have I avoided the appearances of and contact with evil?
*Have I remembered to do my scripture study/genealogy/exercise/personal history/magnified my calling/ordered my personal surroundings/given spiritual daily guidance to my children/etc/etc?
*and so on . .
*and so forth . .
*Oh and, have I love-bombed my wayward neighbor?

Talk about exhausting. CULT!

None of my Mormon friends were ever thinking about the church 24/7. I certainly wasn't, and I drank the koolaid harder than anyone I know.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I'm just saying that the 24/7 mentality isn't at all a normal part of Mormonism.

However, the 24/7 mentality, along with long days of working hard for the group, is a characteristic of pretty much every recognized cult.

You are suggesting that I am minimalizing psychological control within Mormonism, but that isn't the case. I just refuse to exaggerate it.

However, if you choose to think that way, no worries, it doesn't bother me :)