Topic: People Of Praise

The hosts deconstruct media "smears" against Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett regarding her involvement with the religious group People of Praise. They clarify that the term "handmaid" is a biblical reference to the Virgin Mary, not a reference to dystopian fiction. They also discuss the indictment of Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple who brandished firearms at protesters.

Media outlets like MSNBC and Democracy Now! have focused on Amy Coney Barrett's membership in "People of Praise," a charismatic Christian group. Critics have attempted to link the group's use of the term "handmaid" to the dystopian novel "The Handmaid's Tale." The discussion clarifies that the group is an ecumenical organization and that such religious scrutiny is hypocritical.

Democracy Now! interviewed Rebecca Thiel, a former member of People of Praise from the early 1980s, who described the group as a cult. Thiel alleged she experienced abuse and "shunning" after attempting to defy the group's leadership in Corvallis, Oregon. The hosts characterize this interview as a "dry run" for the upcoming confirmation hearings to paint Barrett's religious background in a negative light.

Rebecca Thiel continued her account of life in People of Praise, claiming she was forced to attend meetings immediately after a miscarriage and had her daily chores monitored by "heads." She compared her experience to the Netflix documentary "The Keepers" and "The Handmaid's Tale." The hosts question the timing and validity of these 40-year-old allegations surfacing just as Barrett is nominated.