#SoulVultures: Missionary talk of 'converting' quake victims enrages Twitter

Nothing is more sensitive than the treatment of victims after a tragedy. Obviously many, many people with varying motives all come forward to lend a hand. Twitter was in uproar the night after the devastating earthquake in Nepal that killed some 1900 people and wounded over 5000 others over several tweets, which seemed to indicate that the users saw the tragedy as a 'chance' to introduce Jesus to the victims.

Some were mild, with perhaps bad phrasing at best. For example user Matthew Armendarez, who tweeted -

RSS : Take food , water ..Don't worry we r here. #SoulVultures : Tk money..Hear Gospel.. Jesus is only God.Convert pic.twitter.com/W2PGuDfr4y

— अहिंसक (@bohra_p) April 25, 2015

The tweet, and the entire account, has since been deleted. Others were blatant in their feelings -

Pray for believers in Nepal & India that this tragedy may provide an opportunity to show many the love of Jesus. Turning tragedy to triumph.

— Michael Catt (@MichaelCatt) April 25, 2015

Praying for the people of Nepal. The 10-40 window to share Jesus is opening greater than ever #sharethegospel

— Carolyn Priest (@carolynpriest4) April 25, 2015

The '10-40' window is that part of the globe between 10 degrees north and 40 degrees north latitude. It contains most of the world's Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists - seen as a prime location that has resisted wholesale conversion to Christianity so far.

#SoulVultures #NepalEarthquake Shameless Morons busy in all sort of #evangelism even in crisis pic.twitter.com/bJgNYietqX

— K Nishant Shrivastav (@nis111284) April 25, 2015

Nepal rocked by magnitude 7.9 quake, fatalities certain. May they find Jesus' love & strength in this disastrous time http://t.co/GpYtFkx6jL

— Lon Vining (@lonvining) April 25, 2015

Users were unimpressed with these attempts and sought to find and highlight such instances, under the hashtag #soulvultures. Will most were obviously baiting missionaries with a right-wing bias; several were honestly shocked to learn of such talk in a time of calamity. For example -

Are they Vampires? #SoulVultures

— AB (@abhi085) April 26, 2015

Imagine a man stranded,home destroyed,family lost,overwhelmed with fear n despair n agony -such a man is an 'opportunity' for #SoulVultures.

— Srinivas Hariharan (@srini_hariharan) April 25, 2015

What is wrong with people? Using the #NepalEarthquake to convert the victims? #Soulvultures.

— Nayanika (@nayanikaaa) April 25, 2015

As expected, the calls to ban conversion and/or crack down on Christian Missionaries in India was both vocal and swift. There is little doubt that such words were the actions of a few, however at a time like this, it has touched a raw nerve in the sub-continent.