That ring shows commitment, at least. Of course, if a person is the sort who doesn't honor marriage vows, it really doesn't matter. How a person acts stems from his or her own sense of proper behavior.
That is as it should be. What is not right is when someone forces their own sense of proper behavior on someone else.
Which brings up another point: Marriage doesn't mean diddly squat in the big scheme of things. How loving or faithful a man/woman will be in marriage is in all likelihood identical to the way they were before marriage. Getting married doesn't change much for people, particularly if they've already had a long relationship prior to marriage.
I've known a number of people who have been in relationships for decades with kids and all who never were married (I have an uncle like that in fact, whose daughter is currently in college), but who had loving monogamous relationships; I guess most of them never saw the point, even though I know some of them were devout Christians. (Perhaps they figured they were married in the eyes of God as a matter of fact than ceremony.) I also know lots of people who are properly married and routinely cheat on each other and/or have dysfunctional relationships. Having a ring on the finger doesn't provide protection from anything.
Of course, then you have the statistics on married couples I remember reading many years ago (in the 80s?) that said that something like 85% of men and 65% of women cheated on their spouse at least once during marriage (according to a survey). Those are pretty poor odds, much worse than the divorce rate even. Yet based on my personal experience, these numbers do not surprise me at all.
I do want to say that after 31 years of marriage, and raising kids who are each married, having grandchildren, watching society change from the 60s...all that...
There can be a very good way--I am still in love with my husband, as well as loving him, I feel loved and taken care of, we seem to have found the knack of exclusiveness--nobody else has any place in our circle of two...you have to WANT that, to have it...if it isn't important to you, if forsaking all others isn't the first thing...do you have a marriage?
We've had our troubles--but they were always OUR troubles--you don't comparison shop after you've made a purchase, or you're doomed to frustration...not to say that marriage is a "purchase" -- it isn't, but just to make the point...
Maybe I'm undersexed or something...I welcome my darling, but the thought of anyone else...yuck! He knows my joy and honors and protects it with his own...
And where are the belly laughs, in this discussion of sexuality, marriage, love? I just feel that without the FUN, why would anyone bother? How can you give the kids a good example of how to be married together if you don't get up to a little horseplay with each other once in a while...?
Sorry about the nag, nag, nag...living well with one person is almost a forgotten art, but one worth working on...the only authority I can quote is my own, here, and my life, which is blessed beyond the measure of every dream I ever had, in spite of the common thorns we all have...
I can't talk about marriage without sounding awkward, hope I have honored my husband with this post...;-D