Those who dare enter Lorien

[Melilot Brandybuck]

I take Faramir at his word, that people really did go in and not return. That's just my impression from reading the book. There seemed to be enough rumours circulating which probably means there was some truth to this.

I can't imagine the elves killing a man (or not a man who intends no mischief). But, I can't imagine them allowing some wandering random man to live with them. Would they just wander aimlessly throughout Lorien until they died? Maybe... although I like to think there's a little colony of men who live on the outskirts, living a life of enchantment. Sort of like the ex-pat Brits who move to the Costas, sitting on the patio of their beach-side villa, toasting themselves with a glass of Rioja and saying "I don't know why we didn't do this years ago..."