Howard seems to be about to pay his dues, but in the fight for his academic life, the University is the battlefield. As in any war the choice of survivors - and casualties - is very arbitrary and contingent.
A religion is a belief system with rituals. The missionary kopimistsamfundet is a religious group centered in Sweden who believe that copying and the sharing of information is the best and most beautiful that is. To have your information copied is a token of appreciation, that someone think you have done something good.