--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Clan custom and law held that it was the…" description: "\"“Clan custom and law held that it was the public declaration of intent and then living together that made a handfasting; the ceremonies simply bore wit..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/s-m-stirling-11637_ceremony_clan-custom-and-law-held-that-it-was-the_343180.jpg" --- # Clan custom and law held that it was the public… ![“Clan custom and law held that it was the public declaration of intent and then living together that made a handfasting; the ceremonies simply bore witness to it and asked blessings and luck of the Powers on the new family. He knew Christians thought that the ceremony was the marriage, though.” quote by S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/s-m-stirling-11637_ceremony_clan-custom-and-law-held-that-it-was-the_343180.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/s-m-stirling-11637_ceremony_clan-custom-and-law-held-that-it-was-the_343180.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f52/s-m-stirling-11637_ceremony_clan-custom-and-law-held-that-it-was-the_343180.jpg) > ““Clan custom and law held that it was the public declaration of intent and then living together that made a handfasting; the ceremonies simply bore witness to it and asked blessings and luck of the Powers on the new family. He knew Christians thought that the ceremony was the marriage, though.”” [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A handfasting is a communal pledge of partnership, not merely a ritual, and the community’s blessing validates the union. **In simple terms:** Commitment is shown by living together, not just a ceremony. Key Takeaway Focus on shared life, not just ceremony. Themes commitment community ritual belief tradition Mood reflective thoughtful Type cultural philosophical social When to use this quote - family formation - community gatherings - interfaith dialogue - legal recognition Key Concepts social contract cultural symbolism religious perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you demonstrate commitment beyond formal rites? - What role should community blessing play in personal unions? A Different Perspective Some view ceremonies as essential for legitimacy, which can conflict with this view. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ceremony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceremony/) [Living together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-together/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) ## Related quotes > [“If you really try to know the Hindus you will observe that all castes have several very formal ceremonies. Three are most important. Twelve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-wellman/if-you-really-try-to-know-the-hindus-you-will-observe-that-all-castes/) [Sam Wellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-wellman/) > [“The conduct of a new sedoretu is to some extent, and wisely, prescribed by custom and sanctioned by religion. The first night after the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/the-conduct-of-a-new-sedoretu-is-to-some-extent-and-wisely-prescribed/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [I find the whole ceremony of marriage a bit like going to work. Putting on a lovely dress and make-up, learning lines, someone doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/i-find-the-whole-ceremony-of-marriage-a-bit-like-going-to-work/) [Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/) > [For eons, humans have struggled to find less destructive ways of living together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-j-wheatley/for-eons-humans-have-struggled-to-find-less-destructive-ways-of/) [Margaret J. Wheatley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-j-wheatley/) > [Living together is an art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-pickens/living-together-is-an-art/) [William Pickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-pickens/) > [“Once you start living together and you see the same person day in and day out, you begin to wonder: was it for this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachin-kundalkar/once-you-start-living-together-and-you-see-the-same-person-day-in-and/) [Sachin Kundalkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachin-kundalkar/) > [I think it is really important that people at least have some potentially difficult discussions about what their expectations are - and not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-wasser/i-think-it-is-really-important-that-people-at-least-have-some/) [Laura Wasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-wasser/) > [“(this is before we're living together, before we do the most faithful act of all, mix our separate books into one library)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/this-is-before-we-re-living-together-before-we-do-the-most-faithful/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“For in marriage a little licence, a little independence there must be between people living together day in day out in the same house;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-in-marriage-a-little-licence-a-little-independence-there-must-be/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I should much rather see a reasonable agreement with Arabs based upon living together than the creation of a Jewish state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-should-much-rather-see-a-reasonable-agreement-with-arabs-based-upon/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The public doesn't mind people living together without being married, providing they don't overdo it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/the-public-doesn-t-mind-people-living-together-without-being-married/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [Let us be good stewards of the Earth we inherited. All of us have to share the Earth's fragile ecosystems and precious resources, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/let-us-be-good-stewards-of-the-earth-we-inherited-all-of-us-have-to/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [In working class districts, you had several families living together in the one house, and it was very difficult to get a house, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/in-working-class-districts-you-had-several-families-living-together/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) > [“Pivotally, what we find in Torah is not privatized religion but a social vision, not ascetic distancing from the world but a deep engagement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shai-held/pivotally-what-we-find-in-torah-is-not-privatized-religion-but-a/) Shai Held > [We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/we-have-learned-to-fly-the-air-like-birds-and-swim-the-sea-like-fish/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) ## More by S.M. Stirling > [“Myths are lies; but I believe in the power of myths the way I believe in rocks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/myths-are-lies-but-i-believe-in-the-power-of-myths-the-way-i-believe/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [Love isn't like money--the more you give away the more you get back, and the more you have to give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/love-isn-t-like-money-the-more-you-give-away-the-more-you-get-back/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [The Mackenzie had never met folk so poor in story and song and legends, and it moved him to a pity that pricked at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/the-mackenzie-had-never-met-folk-so-poor-in-story-and-song-and/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [You can learn by listening, or by getting whacked between the eyes with a two-by-four. I always found listening easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/you-can-learn-by-listening-or-by-getting-whacked-between-the-eyes/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [“″He chose to come onto your land uninvited with a weapon in his hand,″ he said. ″When a man does that, he consents to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/he-chose-to-come-onto-your-land-uninvited-with-a-weapon-in-his-hand/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [“It doesn't stop being magic because you can you explain it, Father.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/it-doesn-t-stop-being-magic-because-you-can-you-explain-it-father/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [“Who dares, wins,” he muttered to himself. “Or gets royally banged about if things go south.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/who-dares-wins-he-muttered-to-himself-or-gets-royally-banged-about-if/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [“Being ignorant is truly bliss compared to being misinformed, especially if you’re aware of the depths of your own ignorance. As Mother says, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/being-ignorant-is-truly-bliss-compared-to-being-misinformed/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [“Be your own judge. But commit no trespass, remembering that where another's liberty begins your own inevitably meets its boundary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/be-your-own-judge-but-commit-no-trespass-remembering-that-where/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [“Sure it is that They have many faces. All the shapes the Divine shows us are true; and none are all the Truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/sure-it-is-that-they-have-many-faces-all-the-shapes-the-divine-shows/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [“I like you, Mike. I just wanted to know about you.” He grinned and finished building the fire. “OK, point taken, and I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/i-like-you-mike-i-just-wanted-to-know-about-you-he-grinned-and/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [“But then they were males, and therefore idiots about some things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/but-then-they-were-males-and-therefore-idiots-about-some-things/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [“ I was father to the land. I saved my people. I was... King. "By... earth," he said, more a movement of the lips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/i-was-father-to-the-land-i-saved-my-people-i-was-king-by-earth-he/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [Many are the marvels of God's Creation, but none so marvelous as man. Or so cunning, for good and ill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/many-are-the-marvels-of-god-s-creation-but-none-so-marvelous-as-man/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [A libertarian is someone who can believe that the police are no more than a gang of thugs without realizing that in the absence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/a-libertarian-is-someone-who-can-believe-that-the-police-are-no-more/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) [Explore all 59 S.M. Stirling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) ## More Ceremony quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things - he never said that gay people should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/jesus-never-said-a-word-about-homosexuality-in-all-of-his-teachings/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [It is merely the egoism of the man, who wants to bury a woman like a treasure. All attempts at using vows, contracts, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/it-is-merely-the-egoism-of-the-man-who-wants-to-bury-a-woman-like-a/) [Leopold von Sacher-Masoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-von-sacher-masoch/) > [Layla brought her arms around herself, no doubt because she was remembering the feel of another, stronger set. "I have wanted to, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/layla-brought-her-arms-around-herself-no-doubt-because-she-was/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [There are ceremonious bows that repel one like a cudgel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/there-are-ceremonious-bows-that-repel-one-like-a-cudgel/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [The cocktail party - as the name itself indicates - was originally invented by dogs. They are simply bottom-sniffings raised to the rank of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/the-cocktail-party-as-the-name-itself-indicates-was-originally/) [Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/) > [I am unable to distinguish clearly between your religious ceremonies and apparently identical behavior at the sporting and cultural functions you have transmitted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/i-am-unable-to-distinguish-clearly-between-your-religious-ceremonies/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Politics resemble religion; attempting to divest either of ceremony is the most certain mode of bringing either into contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/politics-resemble-religion-attempting-to-divest-either-of-ceremony-is/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [Singing at the Opening Ceremonies of the Sydney Olympics in 2000 was amazing and, probably the highlight of this decade is the opening of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/singing-at-the-opening-ceremonies-of-the-sydney-olympics-in-2000-was/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [Nostalgia is also a trait of the organizations that I call lodges - everything from corporate cultures to religious sects. Their bonding power often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/nostalgia-is-also-a-trait-of-the-organizations-that-i-call-lodges/) [Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/) > [Over the weekend, former Enron executives Jeffrey Skilling and Rebecca Carter married each other during a huge ceremony in Houston. The happy couple is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/over-the-weekend-former-enron-executives-jeffrey-skilling-and-rebecca/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“Japanese tea ceremony,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheryl-berk/japanese-tea-ceremony/) Sheryl Berk > [Truth and ceremony are two things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/truth-and-ceremony-are-two-things/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The trappings of a religious cult tend to fall into candlelit ceremonies and robes and group chanting and singing and prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-durkin/the-trappings-of-a-religious-cult-tend-to-fall-into-candlelit/) [Sean Durkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-durkin/) > [No known human group... simply throw out its dead without any ritual or ceremony. In stark contrast, no animal practices burial of dead individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodosius-dobzhansky/no-known-human-group-simply-throw-out-its-dead-without-any-ritual-or/) [Theodosius Dobzhansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodosius-dobzhansky/) [Browse all 534 Ceremony quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ceremony/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Clan custom and law held that it was the public declaration of intent and then living together that made a handfasting; the ceremonies simply bore witness to it and asked blessings and luck of the Powers on the new family. He knew Christians thought that the ceremony was the marriage, though.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "S.M. 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