These conversations frequently devolve into semantic debates over what a cult is. Some Christian groups are definitely cults. There are some signs of a cult that usually involve heavy recruiting and PR, a difficulty leaving, a rigid power structure, etc.

I use the term lightly because I rarely talk to people who aren’t already familiar with Falun and don’t think they’re a cult. That is my bad, feel free to disregard that categorization. It isn’t pivotal to the anecdote I was relaying.