Would you please read and comment on it. And please stick to the subject

12. Inclusion by obsession with acceptance.
It seems to be the nature of nature of human beings to want to be a part of a group. To be accepted as a part of a group is paramount to psyche of the being. Therefore being accepted by the chosen group becomes an obsession to the member of the clan.
So the member, wanting to be included, will do almost anything to be included!
The member, in their mind, must be included at all costs. This opens wide the doors to mental and physical abuse by those in power.
It is subtly presented that to be accepted, in full fellowship, you must always wear a white shirt when attending certain meetings of the group. However I have witnessed on many occasions that if a member wears whatever color pleases them they are not ostracized if they are a “good-old-boy”.
It is an indication of insecurity to be afraid of being minor different. The classic cult member must be accepted to remain sane. He or she must be accepted at all costs. Never mind the cognitive dissonance involved do any thing to belong!
This almost always leads to both physical and mental abuse. The abused seldom realizes how abused they are. They just bow their heads, say OK, and trudge on.
The drive to be accepted becomes the paramount mover in their lives.
This mentality does not happen instantly. It is carefully and bit by bit implanted in the response repertory of the victim(oops member)
An example might be: We are taking a special trip to a special service. Do you want to be included and therefore accepted by the group? You do? Well here is a list of things with which you have to show you are in compliance. You are not in compliance with item 9? Sorry. You cannot be included!
This exclusion can be emotionally devastating! You are excluded and everyone taking the trip will probably know why.
You want be accepted? CONFORM!!!
Here we see one of the most powerful indicators that the organization is, in fact, a cult.
The only way to be included is to be obsessed with acceptance and willing to do anything accomplish that goal.

Cult checklists vary. The list I used (from cult authorities) has 23 factors.

I rate Mormonism against that list in my FAQ "Is Mormonism A Cult?"
http://packham.n4m.org/cult.htm

RPackham Wrote:
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> Cult checklists vary. The list I used (from cult
> authorities) has 23 factors.
>
> I rate Mormonism against that list in my FAQ "Is
> Mormonism A Cult?"
> http://packham.n4m.org/cult.htm
I have compiled mine over 15 years of research. It will different from others but we all agree there are indicators which define a cult

For better or worse, human beings are social animals. We wish to be accepted among our peers which makes us very susceptible to cults in the first place. I think the defining line for me is not so much what you have to do to be accepted by a group (unless the activity puts your life and/or the lives of others at risk) but rather (as another ex-Mormon remarked on the Black Sheep roster at the Salamander website run by poster Cricket) how difficult it is to leave the group once you have been accepted.