I looked into Falun Gong because I wanted to take up Tai Chi and I saw the controversy around it, and I thought it was a form of Tai Chi, so I wanted to avoid getting into yet another cult.
I found a book "Power of the Wheel" that has a good objective critique of it. [
www.daoiststudies.org]
Without coming out and calling it a "cult", the authors present all the flags of cult-hood, including a description of the irrational demands made by the founder and his status as an international fugitive. The tendency to sympathize with any victim of Chinese gov't persecution is not justified on Falun Gong's behalf, once you see the actual cult structure described in this book, but I sympathize strongly with individuals who get pulled into Falun Gong demonstrations before they understand what the leader is actually using them for. I think the authors wanted to avoid siding with the Chinese gov't while at the same time presenting an honest picture of the cult, and they did a good job.
I found a form of Tai Chi being taught here in Texas that allows one to use the exercises without joining a new belief system or cult-like group, and I do that. I think anyone who is exitting from Falun Gong would do well to study the traditional Tai Chi discipline.