A group of self-confessed P2P pirates have managed to get their beliefs recognised as an official religion in Sweden.

The Church of Kopimism, which holds CTRL+C and CTRL+V as sacred symbols, is now approved by the authorities as an official religion. The Church said that now it has an official status it will remove the legal stigma that surrounds file-sharing. When religions first start they are supposed to be persecuted with being fed to the lions being in the starter kit.

All around the world file-sharers are being chased by anti-piracy outfits and the authorities, and this now can be seen as a form of religious bigotry. However the church claims that copying to be a sacred act. It was founded by a philosophy student Isak Gerson. Its early attempts failed because the Church had to formalise its way of praying or meditation, the authorities finally recognised the organization as an official religion.

According to Torrent Freak, more people will have the courage to step out as Kopimists. Last year the Missionary Church of Kopimism tripled its members from 1,000 to 3,000 and it’s expected that the recent news will cause another surge. After all most people join a religion after the state gives it the thumbs up.

More here.