Sweden is not a religious country. At all. In fact, it is often described as one of the most secular countries in the world. That does not mean that there are not religions, or that there is no spirituality. Such things are alive and well in Sweden. In fact, Sweden has recently become the birthplace of a new religion: Det Missionernade Kopimistsamfundet or the Missionary Church of Kopimism.

The church has decided that the file sharing is a religion. The Swedish government has even acknowledged the church as an official religion. The church claims that it has over 3000 members in more than ten countries. Isak Gerson, a philosophy student at the University of Uppsala founded the religion a couple of years ago and since then has been working to have it recognized by the Swedish government. Just recently that recognition was given.

While this news seems to have taken the internet world by storm, it doesn’t amount to all that much. Nor should it be all that surprising. The acknowledgement as an official religion in Sweden is similar to incorporating a business. It’s an important step, yes, but it has a way to go to supplant the already established religions in Sweden. Of course, it fits well in a country that already has a political party, the Pirate Party, which shares similar views in terms of file sharing.

Below, you’ll find a short vocab list of religious words that may come in handy. In parentheses you’ll find whether it is an en or ett word as well as whether it is a noun, verb, or adjective. Good luck!

(ett) sakrament                        a sacrament (noun/substantiv)
(en) tro                                      a belief (substantiv)
(att) tro                                    to believe (verb)
(en) helig skrift                        a religious text (substantiv)
andlige                                       spiritual (adjective/adjektiv)
(en) religion                             a religion (substantiv)
religiöst                                   religious (adjektiv)
(en) gud                                   a god or God (substantiv)
(en) ängel                                an angel (substantiv)
(en) kyrka                                a church (substantiv)
(en) domkyrka                         a cathedral (substantiv)
(att) be                                     to pray (verb)
(en) bön                                   a prayer (substantiv)
kristen                                     Christian (adjective)
(en) kristen                              a Christian (substantiv)
(en) kristendom                       Christianity (substantiv)
muslimsk                                 Muslim (adjektiv)
(en) muslim                             a Muslim (substantiv)
Islam                                       Islam (substantiv)
judisk                                      Jewish (adjektiv)
(en) jude                                  a Jew (substantiv)
(en) judendom                         Judaism (substantiv)