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Barbara Taylor Benac

@benacster

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I finally made it!

This magnificent art is currently on exhibit at the BYU Museum of Art. They are historical plaster casts of what Michelangelo called the Gates of Paradise. The original gilded bronze doors served as the entrance to the Florence Baptistery of San Giovanni. Created by sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti over nearly 30 years, they are considered the peak of the Italian Renaissance.

More than 40 years ago, an art professor from BYU-Hawaii created plaster casts of the original doors while traveling in Europe. They returned to Laie in hopes that they could be displayed there. Instead they ended up in storage. Several years later, someone else found them and arranged for them to transfer to BYU in Utah where over a decade they have been meticulously cleaned, repaired, and restored and then gilded and now are displayed in the BYU MOA. The project took more than 13,000 hours to complete.

The exhibit ends soon, but you can always find a magnificent collection at the museum. It is definitely a must for an art lover visiting Utah.

A big thank you to Bill and Barbara Benac (former tour guests) for making this possible!

#utah #artmuseum #byu

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Such a powerful three-day summit, with more than 50 countries represented and nearly 100 delegate perspectives around one shared conviction:

**Religious freedom matters—and protecting it requires people willing to lead, serve, and work together.**

RFAC leadership was grateful to participate and serve alongside distinguished global leaders at the 33rd Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, hosted by BYU’s International Center for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS).

A highlight was bringing delegates to Salt Lake City’s new LDS Humanitarian Center, where leaders from around the world rolled up their sleeves to prepare hygiene kits for people in need.

Grateful for the friendships forged, the shared purpose, and the work ahead.
#ReligiousFreedom #HumanDignity #FreedomOfReligion #GlobalLeadership

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Our RFAC Founder, Bill Benac, spoke this week at the International Religious Freedom Roundtable, put on by the International Religious Freedom Secretariat —a large annual gathering dedicated to advancing religious freedom in Washington, DC.

Bill shared the vision behind the Religious Freedom Alliance Council: lasting change begins at the grassroots level. It happens one community, one alliance, one forum, and one summit at a time.

The mission of RFAC is to help transform the culture of our nation by empowering local communities to unite around the fundamental human right of religious freedom.

Standing beside Bill through so many of his efforts nationwide, his wife remarked- “This man is wearing himself out in the cause of promoting the human right to choose how to worship (or not), and the right to exert one’s personal beliefs unhindered by prejudice or persecution. Religious freedom and human dignity are not just for people with whom you agree. They are the birthright of all.”

We echo her words! Thank you, Bill, for championing religious freedom and bringing communities together across the nation!

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Last week, the Gates of Paradise were unveiled at the MOA by Bill and Barbara Benac, whose philanthropic support made all this possible. #byumoa #provothingstodo #gatesofparadise

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“Our job here is not to win souls or to proselytize—to make someone Jewish, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, Zoroastrian, Baptist, or Methodist. Our job is to be friends.”
— Pastor Welton Smith, Greater Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church

We need so many more of these Religious Freedom events so we can unite this country on something we can all agree on. Share this video from the Protecting Religious Freedom and Human Dignity: Building Bridges symposium, held October 30, 2025—yes, in Las Vegas of all places!

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A Victorian puzzle purse for my scuba-diving loving friend whom I love dearly 💙🤿 @benacster

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#liveyourbestlife♥️

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#RESPECT

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Throwing this shower for @madie.neeley was so life giving 🤍✨ Honestly the most magical night I’ve ever created 🥹 @benacster home was the perfect space to make all my dreams come true 🥲
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The only thing I’m kicking myself for was the silverware was set incorrectly for the first videos I took before everyone showed up. But not to worry! They were changed in time for everyone to enjoy (as seen in the last clips). Absolute magic was created ✨#babyboy #babyshower #babyshowerideas #ihonestlymadethis

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Highlights from last week's Mighty 5 Tour for Utah Luxury Tours. Then again, how do you choose highlights from some of the most spectacular places in the world!? It was a pleasure to share this amazing scenery and its stories with Barbara and Bill. I love my job!

#visitutah #tourutah #mightyfive #beutahful

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Beat the heat in Zion by starting first thing in the morning! We had a fantastic day in Zion National Park with several outstanding wildlife sightings to complement the spectacular scenery including condors, big horn sheep, deer, turkeys, other beautiful birds, and some interesting bugs. This also means Bill and Barbara have experienced all of Utah's Mighty 5 national parks!

#visitutah #tourutah #utahluxurytours #mightyfive #zionnationalpark

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Long awaited scuba post. I’ll miss you, Roatan :)

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