I was in India with my wife and my son for a vacation. We visited also a friend Indian family that lives a little town in Andhra Pradesh. They have two sons, 5 and 3 years old. Our friends told us that usually the children, at home, wore only the traditional Indian belts, but they would have told the children to wear their shorts if we disliked.
Really we were a little worried for our son (5 years old), but we thought that we should have to respect their custom.
Finally our son played with his mate in the same arrangement.
Perhaps there are not general rules about modesty.
Do you know this sort of Indian waist-belts? They are simple laces that don’t cover anything. Our son was playing for ten minutes with his new mates, when he asked for permission to take off his clothing. Later our friends gave him a belt.
We were in India, not in America: “Si fueris Romae, Romano vivito more, si fueris alibi, vivito sicut ibi.”
I didn’t think at this discussion. I only gave an experience that taught me that, in different cultures, there are different ways to look at the life. So now I can say that those Indian children were modest also wearing their belts. Perhaps this is out of our standards, but this is our problem, not their.
God clothed Adam and Eve for their shame. Those children were not ashamed.
No, I wouldn’t. Where the public nakedness is out of the culture (expecially in western culture) to be naked becomes immodest.
(However, until early 20th century, the boys swam naked at East River)…