The problem is, you cannot tell the difference at first.

If we caution our teenagers, children, and young women to stay away from strangers they meet on line, does it then make sense to turn around and encourage them to do just that—meet strangers online? I have read the news stories of girls going missing after meeting up with men they met online.

In their view, the seemingly endless lists of online profiles creates a superficial consumer mentality that undermines the sacrificial nature of Christ-centered love.

The other side counters that online dating is merely a tool God can use to bring two people together – users don't place their faith in the matchmaking site, but in the Lord. Like many things, online dating isn't inherently evil or good. More often than not, the Bible offers general principles over specifics.

Pro: For someone immersed in a career or ministry, online dating can open up opportunities that normally would not exist. There is no “Well, I plan on dating someone for six years while I finish my Star Wars collection (sorry, guys), master the art of cooking Ramen, and move out of my mom’s basement; then, maybe I will consider marriage.” For the most part, the people on dating sites want to be married—soon. However, for every good, godly guy online, there is a bad one.

According to a study published in February 2016 by Pew Research, 15 percent of U. The elderly have also starting to jump in on the hype, as 12 percent of 55 to 64-year-olds are now using online dating sites or apps, in comparison to 6 percent in 2005.

Perhaps the most significant statistic, however, is that 5 percent of Americans who are either married or in a committed relationship say that they owe it to online dating.

I tried Christian Mingle in order to “find God’s match for [me],” but I didn’t want to invest my money into dating online anymore, so I stuck with Ok Cupid, a free online dating site.

In this technological age, many people are taking advantage of mobile apps and dating sites because of the convenience and simplicity. In the same study, Pew Researchers noticed that online dating among 18 to 24-year-olds has nearly tripled since 2013 from 10 percent to 27 percent.