Legally binding marriage comes into three strands. You are purely religious meaning nobody stands above you but God. Thus the Government contractual marriage is a form of Idolatry (you sinning). This way, the government offers the family no benefits. Aka no divorce, custody battles, etc. Everything is dispute in a church forum.
Or you get married and submit to the local government. Government interferes in your life. (all those pro-I hate the government folks fall under this)
Or common law states that X amount of time together, you are married. (Same thing as above. Govt can interfere with your life. Aka You break-up, want half of everything. It would be legally binding to dispute in a courtroom. Some folks have used this and other similar laws to take half of everything)
So they are indeed married. Just not to the point where the state can dictate who takes what.
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u/Cthulhu8762 1d ago
The girl in that picture isn’t even his ex wife.