Controversies around Falun Gong tend to cluster in two broad arenas: its clash with the Chinese state and concerns about its own teachings and practices. Chinese authorities have labeled it an “evil cult,” banned it, and accused it of threatening social stability, spreading superstition, and causing deaths by discouraging medical treatment. This has led to a campaign of suppression involving imprisonment, torture, and other severe human rights abuses, which Falun Gong and many human-rights advocates describe as persecution and crimes against humanity. Allegations of systematic organ harvesting from detained practitioners, investigated by independent researchers and tribunals, have become one of the gravest points of contention, with substantial claims on one side and categorical denials from the Chinese government on the other. The resulting debate is not only legal and political but also deeply moral, touching on the value of human life and the limits of state power.

At the same time, Falun Gong’s own doctrines and internal dynamics have drawn criticism from scholars, former adherents, and outside observers. The movement’s teachings, especially as articulated by its founder Li Hongzhi, include controversial views on race, homosexuality, mixed-race relationships, mental illness, and extraterrestrial beings, which some see as discriminatory or rigidly hierarchical. Its approach to health—emphasizing spiritual cultivation and suggesting that serious practitioners may not need medicine—has raised concern that followers might forgo necessary medical treatment, with critics attributing some preventable deaths to such beliefs, even as Falun Gong denies advocating an absolute rejection of medicine. The strong spiritual authority accorded to Li Hongzhi, claims of supernatural abilities and a divine mission, and the lack of clear organizational transparency have led some observers and anti‑cult organizations to describe Falun Gong as cult-like, while many religious-freedom scholars and practitioners reject that label and stress its voluntary, relatively decentralized nature.

Another layer of controversy arises from Falun Gong’s media and political activities, especially outside China. Practitioners have established outlets such as The Epoch Times and New Tang Dynasty Television to counter the Chinese government’s narrative and publicize persecution, but these platforms have been criticized for partisan alignment in Western politics and for spreading misleading or conspiratorial content. This activism blurs the line between spiritual practice and political movement, prompting debate over whether Falun Gong should be understood primarily as a religious path, a dissident force opposing the Chinese Communist Party, or some evolving combination of the two. Socially, some families of practitioners report estrangement, marital tension, or financial strain linked to intense involvement in group activities and media work, while Falun Gong attributes such conflicts mainly to misunderstanding and external pressure. Academic discussions continue to wrestle with these tensions, reflecting a movement that sits at the crossroads of spirituality, politics, and contested narratives about truth and authority.