Hi Quirkygirl!
Welcome to CC and I enjoyed your post. As someone who's been on and off the dating sites for many years, I can relate to everything you wrote.
Like anything else in life, it's a matter of personal choice and comfort. Some people will say, "I would NEVER use a dating site" in the exact same way that my Grandpa says he'll NEVER buy a computer. *shrug* If you're not used to something and have no need for it, I understand--why bother--but that does not mean it won't work for others.
It seems now days that some people who met their spouse in person somehow think that their relationships are superior to those who meet online, but that's just not true. The pastor of my last church said that about 80% of the marriages he conducts now are for couples who have met online. It's just a fact of modern life that many people are now meeting this way.
If a person is going to venture into online dating, even "Christian" sites, it's also a fact (in my experience at least), that they will run into people who will expect sex. I've heard from both men and women who have been pressured by someone to consider doing things they aren't comfortable with doing.
Are people who want sex really Christians? I'm not God, so I can't judge their hearts. I've found that for a lot of people, sex seems to be an exception in their Christian life. For example, I know a lot of Christians who believe certain illegal drugs are fine because they come from "natural" sources. Likewise, I've also heard of some Christians who say sex is natural and that it's a God-given need, so it's ok to participate in any such way we choose.
I've grown up in churches all my life and know that sex is also a struggle for many Christians who are trying to "obey the rules". I've heard Godly men, pastors and teachers, talk about their struggles with temptation while out on the road to attend Christian conferences and seminars. One guy I talked to briefly on a dating site struggled with finding hookups on Craigslist on the weekends, and he'd been in church all his life.
As I said, I can't judge their hearts. That's God's job, not mine. And rather than put the focus on the other person, I'm now starting to see that maybe it's actually God testing ME in many ways--I see God standing there asking me, "Ok, Seoul, what are you going to choose? Are you going to compromise for a little attention, or are you going to move on?" And when I think about that, it's tough for me to judge anyone else.
Quirky, I hope you won't let the negativity discourage you from continuing to post, but will cling on to the positive words many have written here, and I have one more tip I'd like to add when it comes to safety.
If I agree to meet someone (in public and during the day as well), I also give them a time frame. For example, I'll say, "Sure, let's meet for lunch around 11:30... but I have to be at a friend's house by 3." (Even if I'm not actually going somewhere, I always let a friend/family member know where I'll be, will give them all the person's info I know, including their online name, etc., and keep them on standby in case I need to send out an emergency, "I need help!" text.)
Not only will this help get you out of an awkward situation if things aren't working out on the first date, but if, by some chance, the person is planning on tossing me into a van and driving away, he'll know that people are expecting me, know where I am, and will come looking for me. If the date winds up going extremely well, you can always plan for another time to meet.
Best wishes, Quirky, and I hope to see more posts from you in the future.