Kopimism is a new religion that believes file sharing and copying information is a sacred virtue. Isak Gerson founded it.

While considered a religion, Kopimism does not have a god. Its members believe data sharing is the highest virtue and form of worship. And since Gerson is from Sweden, the congregation is headquartered in the country. The Missionary Church of Kopimism has several branches in countries like Canada and the U.S.

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Read More about “Kopimism”

Kopimism was founded as a means for its members to organize their love for file sharing and knowledge acquisition.

What Is the Origin of the Word “Kopimism”?

Kopimism was derived from the words “copy” and “me,” the fundamental roots of Kopimism’s beliefs and call to copy information.

When Was Kopimism Recognized as a Religion?

Kopimism was recognized as a legitimate religion by the Swedish government on 5 January 2012. Founder Gerson had to try three times before the religion was recognized by the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency.

Reasons cited for the failed attempts at establishing Kopimism as a religion include allegations that it was just “a political adventure,” “a PR stunt,” and “a devaluation of religion.”

Who Is Isak Gerson?

Isak Gerson has an extensive background in online activism. He was a significant player in the Swedish Piracy Movement, which caused several journalists and Swedish government officials to speculate about his real goal for creating Kopimism.

What Is the Swedish Piracy Movement?

The Swedish Piracy Movement began sometime in 2006 with the founding of The Pirate Party. It aimed to reform laws regarding copyright and patents.

What Are Some of the Beliefs of Kopimism Members?

Kopimism believes that:

  • Copying information is sacred.
  • Disseminating information is holy.
  • “Copymixing,” the act of copying and mixing information with others, is sacred.
  • The Internet is holy.
  • Mimicking an individual is an act of respect.
  • Computer code is the law.

How Do Kopimism Members Pray?

Kopimism’s praying rituals and religious practices include worshiping the value of information and copying it. And as a modern religion, members can worship and gather physically in their churches and digitally via a server or web page.

How Many Kopimism Members Are There?

Kopimism has an estimated 3,000–4,000 members at present.

What Are Some International Locations of Kopimism?

Kopimism has taken root in countries, including:

  • Sweden: Missionary Church of Kopimism
  • Canada: The Church of Kopimism Canada
  • Japan
  • Israel
  • U.S.: First United Church of Kopimism

What Are Some Known Kopimism Symbols?

Apart from the kopimi, Kopimism’s logo, which is a “K” inside a pyramid, the church’s members also use symbols containing the commands “Ctrl + C” (copy command) and “Ctrl + V” (paste command).

Kopimism

Source: stateofmind13.com

In an interview, Kopimism founder Gerson said, “I think that the copyright laws are very problematic and at least need to be rewritten, but I would suggest getting rid of most of them.”

Religion can serve as a form of protection against legal sanctions because the law upholds religious freedom for all. That said, should a Kopimism member illegally copy and share copyrighted materials, it may be hard for courts to penalize them because they may tread on their religious freedom.

Is Kopimism Affiliated with The Pirate Bay?

While The Pirate Bay founder Peter Sunde claims to be a Kopimism member, the church’s founder has denied claims of affiliations with the file-sharing site. This issue was brought to light when Sunde was imprisoned for copyright infringement in Sweden.

Is a Kopimism Wedding a Thing?

Like traditional religions, Kopimism does weddings, too. The first Kopimism wedding was held on 28 April 2012 in Belgrade, Serbia. A Romanian woman and an Italian man were wed by a Kopimistic Op, wearing a Guy Fawkes mask, while a computer read vows and some of Kopimism’s central beliefs aloud.

Gerson attended as a wedding witness. He had this to say, “Hopefully, they will copy and remix some DNA cells and create a new human being. That is the spirit of Kopimism. Feel the love and share that information. Copy all of its holiness.”

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The church of Kopimism has been steadily gaining more members over time.

Key Takeaways

  • Kopimism is a new religion that considers file sharing and copying information sacred.
  • Kopimism was derived from the words “copy” and “me,” the fundamental roots of Kopimism’s beliefs and call to copy information.
  • Apart from the kopimi, Kopimism’s logo, which is a “K” inside a pyramid, the church’s members also use symbols containing the commands “Ctrl + C” (copy command) and “Ctrl + V” (paste command).

Other interesting terms…