According to the Explained video we watched in class, cults tend to arise during times of political upheaval, when there is a lack of social clarity and high political turbulence. Given this information, one may conform to absurd cult demands due to Informational Social Influence, which is the tendency to conform to the behaviors and beliefs of others because we believe they have accurate information and knowledge.
In the context of cults, members may conform to the group's demands because they believe that the group has access to special knowledge or insights that they do not. This can lead to a distortion of reality and an acceptance of beliefs and behaviors that may seem absurd or dangerous to outsiders.