Dating has expanded its horizons and advanced into the realm of the internet. Online dating is now a viable way for people to find their special someone. But the question remains, is it a viable way for Christians to find their future spouse?
That question seems to stem from the fear of meeting someone “unnaturally” or outside of God’s plan for Christian courtship. That’s an outdated worry as evidenced by the many Christian marriages which have been born out of a relationship that started from online dating. Needless to say, God’s will is not being thwarted and is still being accomplished through dating websites.
Nevertheless, there are cons and pros for Christians that choose to use online dating sites. However, we believe there are far more pros than cons. Take a look below to see what we mean.
Cons of Using Online Dating Sites
There are definitely cons when it comes to online dating. This is a universal list and applicable to almost every dating website, especially the free-to-use sites. If those are the types of dating sites that you’ve chosen to use, you will definitely run into these issues.
Fake Profiles
Yes, online dating sites have fake profile accounts. These profiles have been created by bots to increase the statistics of the website members or to phish for your personal information. This is especially prevalent on sites that are free to use, and these types of accounts are likely to have only one profile picture or none at all.
Dead Profiles
Dead profiles are accounts created by real people, but they haven’t been used for multiple months or even years. They still exist on the dating site, but they have long since quit using it. However, even though they’re not using the website anymore, their profile will still show up on your list of matches.
The dating site will never delete these kinds of accounts either. It would subtract from their total number of users counted, and that’s not a good look for their business. It’s beneficial for the company but detrimental for the user.
Catfish
The online term “catfish” was popularized by the MTV show that bears the same name. It’s a person who pretends like they are someone else for any number of reasons. This is most commonly done by posting photos of someone else entirely then pretending to be that person.
It’s 100% deceptive, and you definitely run the risk of being catfished when you use online dating sites. It’s hard to defend yourself against this if all you can see is the person’s dating profile. A catfish will likely not agree to meet with you, or if they do, they will never actually show up.
Pros of Using Online Dating Sites
Now let’s talk about the pros of online dating. Similar to what was mentioned above, this is also a universal list. As you read through it, we hope you’ll see why we believe these types of websites are a great choice to use when looking for a future spouse.
More People
Using online dating sites immediately gives you access to more people that are also looking for romance. The days of checking for a wedding ring are gone. You’re entering a community where everyone is searching for love and your romantic advances are encouraged and welcomed.
This accelerates the process of meeting potential partners. More people means more opportunity. Statistically, you’re giving yourself the best chance of finding love by dating online.
Larger Area
Using online dating sites allows you to search for suitors outside of your local area. A larger area is one of the primary strengths of online dating. You are no longer shackled to your immediate surroundings and community connections to find a date.
Now you’re able to find people outside of your region. Whether you want to find somebody nearby or a long distance away, online dating gives you a larger area to search for that special someone. Some websites even let you find people well outside of your country!
Privacy Protection
Using online dating sites gives you an extra layer of privacy protection. You don’t need to give away your phone number until you want to. Scheduling dates can be done through the website’s messenger system. So if it doesn’t work out, you don’t have to worry about someone having your personal number and being immature.
Search Filters
Using online dating sites allows you to search for a particular type of person. Search filters are used by almost every dating website in some capacity. You can narrow down your search results by age, height, weight, likes, dislikes, children, family, and so much more. You can even use multiple filters at once to find a potential partner.
This is one of the biggest game-changers of the dating scene. Imagine knowing that your date already has those particular qualities that you hope for in a partner before going on a date with them. You’ve saved yourself time and money by skipping out multiple dates to find that information out. That’s the power of the search filter.
Christian Niche
Yes, there are specifically Christian dating sites too. We know how important it is that Christians find another Christian to marry. Your local church is a great place to find them, but if that turns into a dry well, we’re happy to inform you that there are trustworthy online Christian dating sites to stand in the gap.