May 13 2008
I turned down David Wilkerson
Sometimes, I suffer for my sexuality. You won’t believe it, but I just had a request to use one of my photographs (yes I’m an amateur photographer) as part of the cover design for a new David Wilkerson book. And I turned it down.
For those of you who don’t know him David Wilkerson is an evangelical preacher who has written at least 9 books I know of, the most famous being the The Cross and the Switchblade. He is also the founder of The Times Square Church in New York City. Wilkerson runs a prophetic ministry and he believes that greater acceptance of homosexuality in society and within the church will spell disaster for America and the world.
In spite of being a bigot and a homophobe, Wilkerson’s books sell millions of copies. If my photo was to be used I’m sure I could have commanded a small fee to say the least. From what I understand market price for a cover photo is about £500. Even a credit line for a cover-photo would have been gold dust, what better way to launch a new career than to have your photo used on the cover of a bestseller?
But fuck that, I’ve got principals, I’m not going to sell out to the Christian Right by having my work adorning the cover of yet another book that tells me my sexuality is sinful. Even though I really could use the money.
Anyway, I include a low-res copy of the photo in this post. Its a photo of the Chrysler building in New York. Personally I think I have two better shots than this one, but if anyone is interested in using it as a cover shot on a book that doesn’t promote a socially conservative Christian agenda, then I’d be happy to give you a discounted rate.
PS: Photo is copyright me (c) David Parkes 2005 All rights reserved.
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23 Responses to “I turned down David Wilkerson”
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I agree with you entirely! I have a faith, of sorts. But I do not agree with any form of bigotry or certainly any kind of exclusive attitudes from anyone.
My belief is that the religious faiths are (or at least should) be used to promote respect and harmony not just for our species, but for the planet as a whole.
I have to agree that you were right in not “selling out”. If you do that how can you trully be honest. Other opportunities wil come by, and your ethics will stand you in good stead in the future.
Nj
Hi
I just found your site – keep it up! I’m a young bisexual woman wriggling my way out of the closet, and it’s always helpful to connect with other bisexuals.
Congrats on staying strong with your beliefs.
Hi Jamie,
Thanks for your words of encouragement. It took me a long time to come out too. In fact I was so far in the closet I think I was having adventures in Narnia. My advice: Look for the lamp-post.
To NightJack – Thanks for your supportive comments, I’m still yet to sell a picture, I dunno maybe, one day.
Sometimes it’s better in the long run to take an opportunity as it comes by and worry about your personal feelings later! Good luck, hope you find your niche in life.
David – I wish you great success, and if I ever finish my great novel, I’ll look you up for cover photo ideas
Peace,
Mike
While I appreciate your decision, I sometimes wonder if it’s also not of value to deal some low blows from within. It would have been amazing if you had quietly accepted, then once printed, publicly pointed out who/where the image came from. You could furthermore have donated the payment to the Human Rights Campaign or similar cause, essentially slapping all the so-called moral hypocrites in the face.
David,
Good for you! I read the Cross and the Switchblade when I was a kid. Then I saw the movie with Erick Estrada (sp)
all I can say now is: What the hell was I thinking?
Good for you for sticking to what you believe in. In the end all we have is our integrity.
C
You know I wonder how many gay/bisexuals are religious, how many are agnostic and how many are atheist. I myself am an atheist. So I’m hit with two things mainstream society has against me.
I’m just afraid the two sort of go hand in hand. If you are like me the church will say something like “see, bisexuals are ungodly atheists, so bisexuality is proven to be sinful” or some crap like that.
To Ceara – thanks for your supportive words.
To Michael – I think that has much to do with where in the world you are. In Europe Atheism is probably as acceptable as any of the mainstream beliefs, so an association with bisexuality/homosexuality is not seen as a consequence of being “ungodly”, rather that most gay/bisexuals are atheists because religion has no room for them.
HI,
I read your blog. I know David Wilkerson personally nd I know for sure he is not a bigot or homophobe of any kind. In fact he like Jesus has been accused of being a “friend to sinners.”
He is one of the most compassionate people that I have met. But I think in his earlier years he maybe was a little sheltered for lack of a better word. He has really changed and has a very large heart. He is in no way connected to the christian right. Nor does he want to be. The reason is Jesus had nothing to do with politics. The christian right has nothing to do with Jesus.
But I am not writing about that becuse your mind is made up.
I am contacting you because I know that he has no knowledge of anyone contacting you for a photo. He only uses people he knows for his books. A young woman named Erica is in charge of art projects for his books.
Maybe if anyone contacted you it was without his knowing.
Well Eileen seems to have just offered a denial, on behalf of David Wilkerson. However, I can assure you that I was contacted via the StockXchange photo sharing site, the request read:
“I’d like to use this marvellous picture as cover for a David Wilkerson’s book.”
In this case flattering didn’t get anywhere, however, the person who contacted me was not called Erica, so I accept this request was probably made without David Wilkerson’s knowledge. To be honest, I never thought for a minute it was. I know very few writers who solicit their own cover art on web sites.
Still most books use different cover art when they are republished or distributed in different markets, so taking what you say at face value, and given I have no reason to assume the request was not genuine, I can only surmise came from someone working on an international edition. The Cross and Switchblade alone is available in over 30 languages, I presume his other books have similar reach and appeal.
But anyway lets go on record and say – David Wilkerson had no knowledge of anyone contacting me to use my photo as part of the cover-art for his book. Some-one did, but it wasn’t an official authorised approach by the man himself. (Fair enough?)
I must admit I’m surprised this blog entry has attracted the attention of someone who actually knows him. However, Eileen, I do take issue with one point, David Wilkerson is not a bigot? Does he not believe homosexuality is sinful? Because unless he’s prepared to embrace it and endorse homosexual acts as genuine acts of love making he will remain in my book a bigot. However nice he is in person and however ‘friendly’ he is us sinning sodomites.
We’re looking for acceptance, not to be regarded as sinners who are to be loved because of our faults.
UPDATE – I’m not sure Eileen is the real thing, she posted with a fake email address. Starting to sound like “fan protection”.
Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Wow! you are really “tolerant” of other beliefs and opinions. So much for tolerance!
You are a bigot.
See, David Wilkerson is judged by YOU to be “wrong” because he disagrees with your opinion. He is “evil” and you are “good” because you hold the “right opinion”.
You are guilty of the very thing you profess to hate in others.
Squig.
If being intolerant of intolerance, makes me a bigot, then I’m a bigot.
David Wilkerson believes that acceptance of homosexuality is a sign of Armageddon. This is a prejudicial belief. This I have a problem with.
And please don’t use quotation marks for emphasis you give the impression I used those words in my post. I in fact used none of them.
I am sure that you have a lovely friend, whom you genuinely love and care for, and want to be intimate with.
That’s your choice, and speaking as a Christian, I do not condem you.
I have struggled with my own sexuality, and one time, I asked Jesus who I was, and he said “You are mine”, he didn’t worry himself, he just loves me, as he loves you, and you are his.
If you have true peace in your heart over your sexual orientation then you won’t worry what people think.
The church will allways be divided on the issue of Women priests, sexual preferences, this is not a direct attack at you, and the way you live, nor should it be.
People who get angry about the way someone else is living, usually have loads of issues in there own lives anyway.
It was sexual abuse that took away my feminity and it’s taken forty two years to accept that, but I needed to act like a Man at the time the abuse was taking place, because it was the only way I could protect myself, and Jesus really understood this, as praying with some really good friends, one of them told me that the time when I had to be man, was over.
So there was a time, when I had to be tough.
Joan of Arc for example had to be a man to do what she did.
There needs to be a better understanding of meeting people where there at, and just loving people, helping and listening, and it was these faithful friends which helped me.
Now I am happy and married to a man who loves me, and in his own words, “Whatever personality, I chose to be”.
I trust that you will have some great friends, and your work will be blessed, and you will learn more about the nature of Jesus, because when you know what he’s really like, you will never look back.
God Bless you,
Joy
Are you saying you used to be in a lesbian relationship?
That you needed to be a lesbian to get you through that part of your life? That sexual abuse from men drove you into the arms of a woman?
That you came to realise that there were men out their that you could trust and be intimate with? And that you have indeed found a man you love?
Well if so that’s great.
But I detect a hint of guilt at your time when you were forced to “act like a man”. You say Jesus was OK with that. Why does that matter? I couldn’t care less what Jesus thinks, he’s been dead for almost 2 millenia.
What matters is what you feel about it.
You should know that you have nothing to feel guilty about. You don’t need other people’s approval, not even God’s.
I’m a non-believer, but to believers I say: Why did God give us free will, if he didn’t want us to exercise it? To not be masters of our own conscience is to spurn the greatest gift bestowed on humanity.
So be happy with yourself. Be at peace with yourself and don’t look for divine approval, on matters of conscience, all you need is your own.
Hi,
Thanks for that thoughtful comment.
I can say I had trouble with my identity, but yes at the time I needed to be a man to get through that difficult time, and my Christian friends knew and understood this, and it was only after prayer that I felt the guilt lift, I didn’t feel that God was mad at me, for acting like a man.
I haven’t had a lesbian relationship but I have had very close girlfriends and loved them dearly.
I don’t regret the way my life has turned out.
My faith in Jesus has helped me to cope with the abuse, and I have had great support, nobody threatened me with Hell for cross-dressing.
Take Care, and thank’s for that reply.
I did feel guilt when I was younger, my history was dominated by a preacher father who was anything but understanding.
As for free will, I am who I choose to be, and not what anybody tells me to be.
I am happy with myself, I know I do not need divine approval to be happy, but I love Jesus and love reading my bible.
Hope this answers your question.
Hi Joy
I must admit given your response, that I’m somewhat at a loss to understand why you chose to post the comments that you did.
I clearly misread your original post as a euphemism for an earlier sojourn into bisexuality. When what you seem to be saying is you “lost you femininity” by wearing trousers rather than a skirt.
Its one of the great ironies that its socially acceptable for women to wear “men’s” clothing but not vice versa, so I’m not sure I understand your reference to cross-dressing. This this could be a generation gap thing.
We clearly inhabit different worlds, yours dominated by your faith and your earlier years by your preacher father. Mine are dominated by the secular values of liberal Europe.
Still I’m keen to understand, and you’ve proved to be an intriguing mystery, I hope you post again.
bitheway,
You said: “David Wilkerson believes that acceptance of homosexuality is a sign of Armageddon. This is a prejudicial belief. This I have a problem with.”
But you believe that NONacceptance of homosexuality is an evil thing. This is also a prejudicial belief. Why do you JUDGE him if the battle cry of the tolerance movement is, “Judging is wrong”?
You also stated: “If being intolerant of intolerance, makes me a bigot, then I’m a bigot.”
So it’s OK to be intolerant??? Or rather, it’s OK to judge and be intolerant of people that agree with you.
This gives lie to you whole philosophy.
It’s not a question of enlightened, open-minded tolerance or evil, bigoted, intolerance – all that talk is just a ruse to cover up the cold hard truth that you believe you should have the power to force others to accept and approve of your lifestyle choices.
You say he is a bigot… you admit you are a bigot.
You say he is intolerant… you admit you are intolerant.
On what moral basis do you determine that your bigotry and intolerance is good and his alleged bigotry and intolerance is evil?
OK Squig
First up, sexuality is NOT a lifestyle choice. We are born straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual. Its not a choice and not something we have control over.
Repressing your sexuality and pretending to be straight because your church does not approve IS a lifestyle choice.
LGBT people do not want the world to accept their “lifestyle” they want the world to accept them for who they are.
Moving on, defining good vs evil
Well would you agree that freedom is good? Oppression & persecution are evil?
A position that grants maximum liberty to the individual and respects this freedom. Making the individual master over his own body, mind and soul is a far more righteous than one which doesn’t or worse, actively seeks to control, the thoughts and deeds of others.
Now of course, the basis of my perspective of good vs evil is in 18th Century liberal philosophy. In particular the harm principal.
Yours may be based on a 2-3 thousand year old book and you may declare The bible is god’s word and God is the sole pillar of “goodness”. And extend this to say, God is not a liberal, so liberal concepts of personal freedom are in fact “evil”.
Go ahead and think that if you like, Hitler thought himself to be a nice guy too. But if you take the bible as the pillar of goodness, once you’ve worked your way through the contradictions of its many books, you are left worshipping a malevolent, tyrannical deity similar to the portrayal offered by Philip Pullman in his Dark Materials Trilogy.
But that’s OK because you’ve attached the label “good” to him.
Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
I lost my feminity after physical and sexual abuse, and it has left me unable to have a family.
My desire to wear mens clothes came as a direct result from that.
Iwore mens clothes and mens underwear.
I used to also wear outlandish things, back in the eighties, to be noticed, and it made me laugh after praying about it years later, something seem to say “Everybody has a dressing up box, from time to time”.
It’s not a big deal to me anymore.
I just pray to Jesus and read about him, as I grow with him, he helps me to get through each day.
One of the reasons I posted on your site was because your photo caught my attention, it was brilliant, and I hope that you become a proffesional one day.
The other reason was David Wilkerson, occasionaly I listen to his sermons from Times Square Church on you tube.
He always comes across as very sincere and sad, he’s seen a lot, in his life time, been threatened by gangs so he’s needed to be very strong, and hold strong views, I believe to stand up to the harsh environment he has found himself in.
As for the greater acceptance of Homosexuality being the downfall of society, I don’t see this in scripture, as the downfall of society in Soddom was the sin of Pride, and rape.
Tis true that if everybody lived a as gay men and women there would be no more children born, so in that sense maybe society would stuggle.
Jesus said that it would be easier for the people of Soddom at the judgement than for the people of this generation.
The Man-made Church is a complete and utter mess, but he loves it regardless, although I believe he will judge, but he’s judgement will be fair and just.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings, you may not agree with what I said, but I don’t mind.
Take Care, and hope to see your photos one day hung up in the National Gallery.
Love and Blessings
Joy n Kev
Dear David, what an opportunity lost!David Wilkerson is a dear man of god,I urge you to attend his church sometime soon and judge for yourself if he is so right winged. ‘Perfect love casts out all fear’ Jesus christ has a compassion surpassing all fears for all mandkind . It does require repentance David in other words a turning from sin which we are all guilty of. Yet his reward is life eternal for you david. I love you David . I hope to meet you some time in future enjoying eternal life. If not you will burn in hell!Which is rightly reserved for satan and his angels!not you David. Take care God guide and Bless you.
Rapata
I won’t surprise you to hear that won’t be attending any of David Wilkerson’s sermons any time soon, least of all because his Church is based in Times Square and I live all the way across the pond in godless Europe.
I don’t hold with the notion of original sin, that we are all sinners and need to be saved, if you’d like to know why well my views are best summed up by Christopher Hitchens in this video.
I don’t believe in heaven or hell, but if I happen to be wrong about it, it would be a pretty petulant and childish god that sends an ordinarily decent person like me to burn in eternal torment. Such a god should not be worshipped, but opposed.
If your views of heaven and hell are correct. What you are advocating is being sycophantic to a tyrannical god. If I was a believer, I’d like to think I was braver than you.