Since its prohibition in 1999, Falun Gong has been subjected to various forms of negative treatment, including imprisonment and arbitrary detainment. To counter this situation, Falun Gong changed how it presents itself using the language of religious liberty and human rights as a way to position itself as a targeted group and not a political issue. This approach enables Falun Gong to be viewed as an NRM within Western settings, since it uses a broad form of communication based on religion.

Falun Gong uses its image as a persecuted religion to get support from Westerners and express opposition toward the Chinese government. This is one of the reasons why Falun Gong receives more backing from the US than other NRMs.

The global media presence of Falun Gong through groups like Shen Yun, The Epoch Times, and NTD Television is a clear sign of the group's deliberate effort to spread their influence far beyond religious practices. These media outlets create a simple division where Falun Gong and America are placed in contrast with China and its Communist Party.

By taking advantage of the existing tensions between the United States and China, Falun Gong was able to achieve the following outcomes:

• Cultural recognition

• Political and economic support

• Mass media representation

The history of Falun Gong provides an example that shows the influence of media frames for shaping the meaning of a religious movement. This media representation of Falun Gong as either a persecuted religion, a political organization, or even a media empire has everything to do with how the audience understands its actions.

This is another idea that comes from looking at modern religions: that perception is just as important as practice. Not only does a religious group have beliefs and rituals, but it also has a general narrative – one that can affect the meaning of its practice in significant ways.