Church Of Kopimism:

With file sharers all over the world being hunted by copyright holders and aided by the governments they lobby, there's now a new angle to this fight: file sharers turn their hobby into a religion. Since 2010, a group of self-confessed Swedish 'pirates' have tried to have their beliefs recognized as an official religion, but were denied several times. However, just before Christmas, they have finally succeeded in convincing the authorities that the Church Of Kopimism is a real, genuine bona fide religion. How they exactly achieved this isn’t clear, however. The Missionary Church of Kopimism was founded by philosophy student Isak Gerson, who is one of a large group of Swedes that believe file copying to be a sacred act. Gerson is ecstatic at this development and hopes more people will now feel able to come out as 'Kopimists'.

Gerson explained to TorrentFreak, "I think that more people will have the courage to step out as Kopimists. Maybe not in the public, but at least to their close ones. There’s still a legal stigma around copying for many. A lot of people still worry about going to jail when copying and remixing. I hope in the name of Kopimi that this will change."

Of course, although the church now has formal status, just as with any other religion, the laws of the land still override the religion's dogma, which means that copyright infringement is still not permitted. However, Gerson hopes that their beliefs will be considered when drafting future laws. However, he might have a long wait, because dollars talk louder than beliefs. What's especially surprising about this new religion though, are the number of members that belong to it. In just the last six months, their membership has swelled from 1000 to 3000 members, so it's reasonable to believe that this news will cause another surge in membership. Regardless of whether someone is a member or not (membership is free) Gerson urges everyone to keep right on file sharing: "We confessional Kopimists have not only depended on each other in this struggle, but on everyone who is copying information. To everyone with an internet connection: Keep copying. Maintain hardline Kopimi."

It remains to be seen how long this religion lasts, whether it spreads to other countries and how much effect this will have in drafting copy-friendly laws in Sweden and elsewhere.

The church has issued the following press release:

Just before Christmas, the Swedish governmental agency Kammarkollegiet registered the Church of Kopimism as a religious organisation. This means that Sweden is the first country to recognize kopimism as a religion.

The Church of Kopimism have tried to become registered as a religious organisation by Kammarkollegiet for more than a year.

- Since Kammarkollegiet has been strict with formalities, we had to apply three times, a happy Gustav Nipe - board chairman for the organisation - says. He continues, I think it might have something to do with the governmental organisations abiding by a very copyright friendly attitude, with a twisted view on copying.

For the Church of Kopimism, information is holy and copying is a sacrament. Information holds a value, in itself and in what it contains, and the value multiplies through copying. Therefore, copying is central for the organisation and its members.

Being recognized by the state of Sweden is a large step for all of kopimi. Hopefully, this is one step towards the day when we can live out our faith without fear of persecution, says Isak Gerson, spiritual leader of the Church of Kopimism.

The Church of Kopimism is a religious organisation with roots from 2010. The organisation formalizes a community that's been well spread for a long time already. The community of kopimi requires no formal membership. You just have to feel a calling to worship what is the holiest of the holiest, information and copy. To do this, we organize kopyactings - religious services - where the kopimists share information with eachother through copying and remix.

Copy and seed.

read that as church of klonopin

If people start buying instead of stealing maybe Justin Bieber wouldn't be number one in the charts. The reason people like Justin Bieber and Hanna Montana are always number one because their fans are 13 year old girls that ask their mum to BUY THE ALBUM. All of you fucking chanerds complain about Lady Gaga being number one but you NEVER BUY YOU FAVOURITE ARTISTS ALBUMS!!!.

  On 1/6/2012 at 12:17 AM, YO303 said:

If people start buying instead of stealing maybe Justin Bieber wouldn't be number one in the charts. The reason people like Justin Bieber and Hanna Montana are always number one because their fans are 13 year old girls that ask their mum to BUY THE ALBUM. All of you fucking chanerds complain about Lady Gaga being number one but you NEVER BUY YOU FAVOURITE ARTISTS ALBUMS!!!.

Who cares whose number one? It is about making music for music not making music to be number one.

Fair enough, but supporting the art you consume should be a priority.

Sounds like something out of Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. But I guess it makes about as much sense as talking to a palestinian who's been dead for 2000 years.

  On 1/6/2012 at 12:17 AM, YO303 said:

If people start buying instead of stealing maybe Justin Bieber wouldn't be number one in the charts. The reason people like Justin Bieber and Hanna Montana are always number one because their fans are 13 year old girls that ask their mum to BUY THE ALBUM. All of you fucking chanerds complain about Lady Gaga being number one but you NEVER BUY YOU FAVOURITE ARTISTS ALBUMS!!!.

Yeah you're right

If all the BoC fans in the world bought a brand new copy of Geogaddi, BoC would overtake Lady Gaga in the charts

They are hidden but all over

  On 1/6/2012 at 12:21 AM, Zeffolia said:

  On 1/6/2012 at 12:17 AM, YO303 said:

If people start buying instead of stealing maybe Justin Bieber wouldn't be number one in the charts. The reason people like Justin Bieber and Hanna Montana are always number one because their fans are 13 year old girls that ask their mum to BUY THE ALBUM. All of you fucking chanerds complain about Lady Gaga being number one but you NEVER BUY YOU FAVOURITE ARTISTS ALBUMS!!!.

 

Yeah you're right

 

If all the BoC fans in the world bought a brand new copy of Geogaddi, BoC would overtake Lady Gaga in the charts

 

They are hidden but all over

why would people try to make a commercial success of an album released 10 years ago?

that is to say: i always buy music by my favorite artists when they actually release something.

I belong to Masturbatorianity.

lol

  On 1/6/2012 at 12:17 AM, YO303 said:

If people start buying instead of stealing maybe Justin Bieber wouldn't be number one in the charts. The reason people like Justin Bieber and Hanna Montana are always number one because their fans are 13 year old girls that ask their mum to BUY THE ALBUM. All of you fucking chanerds complain about Lady Gaga being number one but you NEVER BUY YOU FAVOURITE ARTISTS ALBUMS!!!.

no, the reason that bieber and gaga are top of the charts is because most people like lowest-common-denominator crap.

  On 1/6/2012 at 12:20 AM, YO303 said:

supporting the art you consume should be a priority.

  On 1/6/2012 at 12:20 AM, YO303 said:

supporting the art you consume should be a priority.

as true as it is utopian

  On 1/6/2012 at 2:29 AM, kaini said:

  On 1/6/2012 at 12:17 AM, YO303 said:

If people start buying instead of stealing maybe Justin Bieber wouldn't be number one in the charts. The reason people like Justin Bieber and Hanna Montana are always number one because their fans are 13 year old girls that ask their mum to BUY THE ALBUM. All of you fucking chanerds complain about Lady Gaga being number one but you NEVER BUY YOU FAVOURITE ARTISTS ALBUMS!!!.

 

no, the reason that bieber and gaga are top of the charts is because most people like lowest-common-denominator crap.

Yeah i know, i think i didn't express myself well enough.

I know artist i like are never gonna get to number one or whatever, but it sometimes frustrates me to see people like Bieber get great CDs sells because his fans can't use torrents.

I'm all for sharing and stuff but we really need to get rid of this attitude most "shares" have that its a free for all.

we don't need no steenking religion to know what's free

  Quote

it sometimes frustrates me to see people like Bieber get great CDs sells because his fans can't use torrents

lol

I wonder how many bombings they will get from religious terrorists who'll mistake it for the Coptic church

At one point all religions started out as an inside joke. I hope this one gets huge as well. Just to piss off all the other religions. Although I'd rather have it that either believing in the Force or Joe Pesci got big, to be honest. This one will do more damage than good, I'm afraid.

  On 1/6/2012 at 2:29 AM, kaini said:

  On 1/6/2012 at 12:17 AM, YO303 said:

If people start buying instead of stealing maybe Justin Bieber wouldn't be number one in the charts. The reason people like Justin Bieber and Hanna Montana are always number one because their fans are 13 year old girls that ask their mum to BUY THE ALBUM. All of you fucking chanerds complain about Lady Gaga being number one but you NEVER BUY YOU FAVOURITE ARTISTS ALBUMS!!!.

 

no, the reason that bieber and gaga are top of the charts is because most people like lowest-common-denominator crap.

People are lazy, they need to be told what to listen to. People who shout the loudest get heard.

Justin Bieber's album is a masterpiece, I bet you haven't even listened to it.

well i wouldn't say it's a masterpiece but it is absolutely stunning, sure. Probably sounds like im joking here but there's an ethereal quality to much of the album, when it isn't delivering high-intensity, espresso-sized, blasts of now. Giving with one hand whilst taking away with the other. You are often left feeling like a small boy with a belly full of duck meat. You are smiling. You are sad. 9/10