What does "marriage" mean?

I'm not getting much traffic on my blog, so I obviously need to pay it more attention. Maybe I can stir a few people up and get some answers for all of us.

For years, I've not understood how God could condone the trappings of legal marriage. I need to be enlightened. I'm sure you've probably already judged my thought processes - yet I can assure you that you are probably wrong.

When one is legally married, they are 100% responsible for their marriage partner - 100%. They do not have control of their own finances and can be wiped out in a heartbeat. They do not have custody of their children, and can have them taken away in the blink of an eye. They willingly give up their right to their own life in so many ways. One racks up a huge medical or tax bill. The other is responsible for it just the same. What does this have to do with marriage? Why legalize love? Can love and committment be legalized? The divorce rate is what, now, probably well above 50%.

I'm not an advocate for "shacking up" as the connatation typically means simply living with whomever and having sex with them, without a committment.

I'm all for committment in every way - yet a license does not guarantee it. Rather, a license can tend to do strange things to many people. It is a license to take advantage of, legally, in almost every way imaginable.

Can a husband rape a wife? No. Supposedly.

Can a wife steal from her husband? No. Supposedly.

When these bad things happen in a relationship, one has more legal rights if they are not legally married.

My question - aside from the giddy feeling and false security that legal marriage gives people is - why get the state involved?

I am very serious about these questions. Obviously I've been very burned by legal marriage and would never put myself in that position again. I am in a committed relationship and we are considering getting "married" in God's eyes, and among friends and family. My biggest issue is with various organizations - religeons, particularly - who judge this union as "sinful".

Please - your thoughts and insight/wisdom!
Wanda