There comes a time of year when Shen Yun cookie-cutter advertisements sprout up around the city in the same pose with dace ribbons attached to their arms mid-split leap, the sign reading “China before Communism.”
However, underneath the bright colors, pretty ribbons and dancers lies something more sinister—propaganda which depicts cult messaging and exaggerated accounts of prosecution.
“Some pieces also touch upon the topic of today’s China, shedding light on the oppression many experience for their spiritual beliefs, such as Falun Dafa,” stated the Shen Yun website description.
Through the bright dresses and elegant moves, dancers peddle very visual—and somewhat exaggerated—persecutions of this group and grandiose expressions of good vs evil, where Falun Dafa is portrayed as the light which prevailed and China is portrayed as evil and wicked.
Falun Gong, aka Falun Dafa, was a spiritually-focused organization. It was started in the early ‘90s and was created by Master Li Hongzhi, the protector of the universe. Functionally, this group performs like a cult which makes grandiose promises, such as prayer to cure all illnesses and believing that aliens have corrupted people with inventions like the computer.
Time Magazine directly explored the beliefs held by this group and noted Li Hongzhi’s beliefs, some of which include that people can learn to levitate, qigong can be used to cure illness, aliens have invaded the human mind and culture and modern science is from the aliens to keep them controlled.
Direct sources of their thoughts can be found in letters published by them to practitioners, some showing clear religious reasoning against things such as racial mixing, homosexuality, evolution and feminism.
This spiritual movement functions within different spaces and has ties to multiple media outlets, mainly Shen Yun and The Epoch Times.
The Epoch Times follows a similar marketing strategy as Shen Yun, with extensive billboards advertised around Portland stating, “#1 Trusted News.” The Epoch Times is a newspaper which heavily pushes the subliminal values of the spiritual group and tries to depict itself as trustworthy journalism but caters primarily to extreme right-wing audiences who align with their heavy propaganda against the Chinese government.
The Epoch Times frequently publishes reviews of Shen Yun, a company affiliated with the group. Ben Hurley—who was previously associated with Falun Gong and wrote for The Epoch Times—described sending righteous thoughts as a duty linked to the success of Shen Yun performances. This duty, known as “virtue,” is akin to accumulating spiritual points. Hurley likened this practice to engaging in a spiritual battle between good and evil, emphasizing its importance for the success of Shen Yun’s performances.
The Epoch Times’ political agenda focused on influencing right-wing citizens with the same trends that boosted Former President Donald Trump as the ultimate defeater of China and increased the spread of anti-vax misinformation. By boosting Trump, relevance and revenue have increased for The Epoch Times. It has risen in prominence amongst conservative news consumption, which might be concerning to those interested in unbiased news.
The newspaper is not simply propaganda for the organization—it also boosts other conspiracies, such as QAnon. The misinformation about vaccines comes directly from the religious organization that influences it and holds the belief that yoga and breathing techniques is a cure for all sickness.
Hurley shared his experience of leading a double life. He recounted how he—like other practitioners—maintained a stark contrast between his family life and his involvement with the group. He was cautious not to reveal certain aspects of the belief system—such as its stance on topics like homosexuality and extraterrestrial beings or the belief in the leader’s role as the universe’s savior—fearing these might alienate others.
More significantly, Hurley delved into how death and illness were perceived within the community. According to their teachings, practitioners were believed to be immune to sickness, viewing illness as a manifestation of spiritual and moral failings rather than physical ailments.
Consequently, many followers shunned conventional medical treatment, believing it would only worsen their condition by poisoning their bodies. This aversion to seeking medical help—or doing so only as a last resort—led to numerous deaths attributed to medical neglect, with over 1,000 fatalities documented due to adherence to these teachings.
This contributed significantly to the Chinese government’s decision to expel the group, although it’s challenging to ascertain the accuracy of each side’s claims amid conflicting narratives. The Chinese government has issued warnings about the group, notably in a 2015 statement which cited its antisocial behavior, the avoidable deaths due to medical neglect and instances of self-immolation or suicide. Falun Gong refuted these accusations.
Despite these controversies, the spiritual movement has found sanctuary in the United States, owning a substantial tract of land in upstate New York.
Like many cults, this group has a compound, one cosmic leader, arranged relationships and a distrust of outsiders. While many cults influence and maintain power within the group and want to extend power with more followers, Falun Gong put a lot of work into propaganda for the group and the group’s ideas beyond simply recruitment.
When considering cults, many people in the U.S. recall infamous incidents—such as Jonestown and Heaven’s Gate—where violent tragedies are associated with the activities of these fringe groups.
Throughout its history, the U.S. has demonstrated a willingness to accommodate religions which evolve into cult-like organizations. For example, Scientology wields significant power and influence, even maintaining a presence in downtown Portland.
Similarly, cults originating elsewhere—such as those in the Unification Church from South Korea—have established direct ties and exerted influence in the U.S. Falun Gong is another such cult that has sought sanctuary in the U.S.
Amanda Montell, author of the book Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism, described the U.S. as uniquely enticing for cults. “Across the world, levels of religiosity tend to be the lowest in countries with the highest standards of living, meaning strong education levels, long life expectancies, that sort of thing,” Montell stated. “But the US is an exception in that it’s both highly developed and full of believers.”
Montell goes on to describe the conditions which make the U.S. the exception. Although all those places are similar, they have state-sponsored programs, such as universal healthcare. In contrast, the U.S. has the amalgamation of freedom and limited institutional reinforcement, encouraging the emergence of alternative groups with grandiose promises.
Cults have a powerfully persuasive aspect, but in a way, people have to be willing to brainwash themselves for it to work effectively. The hope and belief ties people to these groups which then exploit them.
The Falun Gong cult operates as a controlling, manipulative and isolating group, aiming to propagate a worldview which positions their religious ideologies as the sole pure and righteous ideals, encompassing social, spiritual and psychological aspects.
The rhetoric employed by cult leaders emphasizes grand promises and offers a singular path, presenting their beliefs as the solution to all of the world’s problems. This grandiosity reinforces the group’s control and fosters an environment where followers are persuaded to adhere strictly to the prescribed beliefs and practices.
This spiritual group’s reach into art, media and politics underscores the absence of a clear division in our country between belief systems and how things influence us, which is even evident in seemingly innocuous displays like dance performances.
It’s crucial to scrutinize not just the media we consume, but also the pervasive influence of extremist religious groups on the societal landscape. We must exercise critical awareness of the ideologies embedded in what we consume and engage with, as they can subtly influence us without our awareness.
Falun Gong is just one among many cults openly operating in the U.S., thriving on the various societal vulnerabilities we must address to close off avenues for controlling groups which enforce narrow-minded thinking. Despite appearing singular and benign, entities such as Shen Yun are merely one facet of a broader network of deception and disinformation, indicative of the complex challenges posed by such groups.
