And the next step should be a complete separation

[jp11]

9. Sounds right to me.

I don't get how the idea is that marriage is 100% a religious thing yet need the government to 'protect' it in the sense that it fits a particular religious 'belief' of what a marriage is all the while gaining benefits FROM the government for being married.

If you want legal/government rights/recognition of your marriage there should be paperwork with the government absent any religious institution if not fine you can be 'married' through your religious organization that has no legal authority/recognition in the country.

The only exceptions I can think of are situations like the Amish where I doubt they all file paperwork with the government but seeing as how I doubt they seek out government benefits/protections for being married it might not be an issue.