There's a tale about a big brother who, try as he might, could not curve an addiction to subjugating his siblings. Blessed with favor and good stature, big brother often coerced and puppeteered the others to act as he acted, move as he moved.

"Look," he said, "I know a better way to do things...get with the times, man. Listen, it's okay to lighten up a little."

With this argument, big brother often won over the little brothers. Thus, he carefully managed the little brothers; big brother, no doubt, acted as the leader of the bunch, with his influence far-reaching and his insights undisputed.

The little brothers faced tremendous personal turmoil: on the one hand, they adored big brother yet, on the contrary, resentment brewed. Not before long, their uneasiness matured into bitterness. It seems they grew tired of big brother's hubris.

Predictably, then, big brother and the little brothers soon brawled. Relationships were broken. Trust would be anything but repairable.

Big brother is America. The little brothers, well, represent the rest of the world.

More on this later...

The gay lifestyle is embraced in America.

This shouldn't be news to anyone, though. Well, not unless you've been chillaxing somewhere in another galaxy.

Believers - some with good approaches, others with counterproductive ones - have attempted to be culture shapers by curbing the lifestyle's influence.

If I had to be honest, though, the train has already left the station. Homosexuality (not to be set apart from any other unbiblical sexual deviation...some of which, admittedly, I've committed) is ingrained. And, sure, promiscuity such as "hooking up," immodesty, lust, pornography and so forth are also woven into the American fiber.

Homosexuality is different, nonetheless. The movement has tremendous, stiff wind beneath its sails. So much so, that the West is now transferring this "norm" onto other cultures. History has shown that where America goes, so will the rest of the world. Whether by force or friendship, America sets a global tone. First coined in the 1960s, this "Big Brother" dynamic is still thriving and in living color today.

Take the recent Malawi gay case, for instance. Last month, Steve Monzeja and Tiwonge Chimbalanga were sentenced to 14 years in prison for gross indecency and unnatural acts. The couple professed their love for one another during a traditional engagement ceremony in December of 2009. This ceremony was not unlike the same-sex marriages seen in England, Canada and the States. When authorities read about the atypical wedding, the couple faced arrest and criminal charges. International outcry and protests flared. Most notably, Madonna organized a huge global petition which partly led to the couple's release. Dubbed as "Her Madgesty," Madonna has long had a love for Malawi, particularly after she adopted two Malawian children.

To be clear, I'm not applauding Steve and Tiwonge's imprisonment, for if we began jailing folks for the entire spectrum of sexual sin - including, say, fornication, lust and lewdness - why, we'd all certainly be singing "Lock'd Up" right alongside Akon. In addition, I'm not oversimplifying the plight and testimony of believers who love Christ but sincerely face this stronghold. We care for our brothers and sisters.

The problem, though, is that it appears the West is attempting to grant Malawi a makeover that the country is not ready to have. In the end, the president was forced to pardon the couple, which set a liberal precedent, no doubt. President Bingu wa Mutharika's pardon seems dutiful and insincere. Gay marriage is not inclusive of the set of mores that the African country is prepared to espouse, and we owe them the right to deal with it amongst themselves, without outside interference.

Despite the Big Brother dynamic, America's norms are NOT the rest of the world's norms. Truthfully, there are even some American Christian missionaries who ought to marinate on this truth. As my dear friend, Reverend Paris, says of missions, "I'm interested in spreading the gospel without trying to turn people into mini-Americans. In short, introducing Christ is a commission. Introducing America is an agenda."

It's wonderful that Madonna loved Malawi enough to erect charities and adopt children from the country. Her personal ethos, however, needed to be checked at the door. After all, a large part of philanthropy and altruism entails being culturally sensitive. Malawi must be allowed to sort through this debacle without America's hand-holding.

Please keep this all in your prayers, as the controversy is still unfolding even at the typing of this column...

Ana Guthrie is a super cool chick with a heart for God and love for youth culture. She doubles as a not-so-naughty librarian and instructor at Florida Memorial University in Miami, Florida.