And what about other traditions? Can we not respect our elders by touching their feet?
This is again a subjective question and above principle can explain this. However, to answer it specifically, I would recommend that we must ask wisdom from God to differentiate between culture and religious rituals. In general, you may touch the feet of elders, but we ought to understand that it is ensured that we would not compromise with the glory of God in anyway.
We have to stay away from false religiosity (hypocrisy) and at the same time understand our culture. I advocate breaking certain traditions like dowry system, child-marriages, caste system etc which is hindering the progress of the society (and uplifting of the down-trodden class), but I am not against all cultural traditions.
In some customs, husband is considered like a god to his wife (pati parmeshwar). So it is not because of the respect but also because of this factor that wife touches her husband’s feet; it becomes a sin against God. Husband is not God but he is a creation of the supreme God who deserves all the glory, unshared.
However, if there is a major age difference between the wife and her husband, which is customary in Indian village context, and if she wants to touch her husband’s feet due to respect and submission, probably this should not be objectionable. Bible teaches wives to be submissive before husband who is the head of the family as Christ is the head of the Church. Though at the same time, Bible also teaches husbands to treat their wives with much care and same kind of love what Jesus had for his church.
It is culture and not cult for children to touch feet of elders to show respect to them. Bible teaches all of us to be lowest of all and treat one another with respect and love.
Bible teaches us to respect our parents (and others too) and love them as we love ourselves. So make your decision and go ahead, God will bless you because of what is in your heart.