Topic: Rebecca Thiel

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.