Otdfbt

Throughout Stargate SG-1 seasons 9 and 10 they spend the time fighting the crusade of the Ori. They mention several times that 'the Ori are not gods.' I think that Dr Daniel Jackson mentions several times something to the effect that they are just 'beings with a higher understanding of the universe' who 'live on a higher plane of existence than we do.'

Now, several religions I know of mention the ability for mortals to ascend in the same manner, gain those same powers and knowledge, and become gods themselves. So, why do they consider the Ori to be false gods?

They are declared as non-omniscient, but not all gods in mythology are so that isn't needed to be a god. They do have god-like powers, including the creation of life itself, seemingly from nothing.

So, from my what I can figure, the Ori are in fact gods, albeit malevolent ones, so why are they so adamant that they are not gods?

TLDR

• It is all based on perspective.


• The SGC considers them false gods because they only achieved their state through knowledge.


• Everyone has the potential to ascend eventually... then they would all be gods.


• Knowledge does not equal god...

I won't touch the idea of good or evil with my answer since it is entirely possible to be both an evil or good god...

So it is basically just because of perspective. It depends on how you view the situation yourself. You see that the Ori appear to check off the boxes of what makes a being a god like creature. The SGC sees it quite differently. They see the Ori as having a greater understanding of how the universe works, simply being more knowledgeable.

From the perspective of the SGC if the only reason the Ori are 'gods' is because they have learned how to become what they are, then everyone has that ability. Therefore, everyone can be a god. i.e. Knowing more about how the universe works should not be the premise for what defines a god.

In addition, look at what the defines an ascended being. They live without a form, but can still both live and die. They know what they knew when they ascended and a little more they figured out the way, so they are still learning. They can manipulate matter (fire, make restaurants, etc.) with what they have learned and so they can do things.

These are all just heightened abilities of what a normal living being can do. Compare me to my dog. My dog can live and die, she can both know and learn things, and she can do things (lick herself, chase her tail, etc.). Now, I can do a bunch of things that she could never fathom to understanding. I [could] fly a space shuttle, throw her from a plane (in a parachute), or so many other things that seem unimaginable to her.

Just because I understand these things and she does not, does not make me a god. It means I have a greater understanding of how the universe works. The only difference between humanity and the Ori is that we have a greater understanding and so we know just how much more intelligent they are in comparison!

This is addressed extensively throughout the final seasons of Stargate SG-1. The Ori are certainly powerful ascended beings, but simply being an ascended doesn't make you a god, at least to those with sufficient advancement to (broadly) understand the process by which one can ascend.

TEAL'C: One of the Ancients returned to human form to warn us that the Ori gain strength by sapping the power from their followers. That is why they seek our support! The Ori are not some benevolent gods, offering you the path to enlightenment. They are but manipulative beings who will use you and discard you once you have served their purpose.

_{^{SG-1: The Fourth Horseman, Part II}}

You may also want to note that although the Ori certainly do exist, their interaction with their followers is extremely minimal. Most of their worshippers come to the decision to worship the Ori as a result of a mixture of threats of violence and "magical" acts performed by their hired goons, the Priors of the Ori.

HAIKON: The Prior has healed our sick. Caused our crops to grow as if by magic. Why should I doubt the power of the Ori?

MITCHELL: Look, their power is not what you should question. It's how they use it. Anyone refuses to worship them, and they die. And I'm
not talking about a few non-believers here and there. I'm talking
about whole planets wiped out!

HAIKON: And I should simply take your word for this?

MITCHELL: You want to believe my people are godless and inferior? Go right ahead. But we have never needed proof of our gods' existence in order to believe in them. Faith. It was your faith that sustained you for five thousand years, not the Ancients themselves. Don't throw your history away for a bag full of magic tricks.

_{^{SG-1: Babylon}}

One should not forget the rest of the Stargate universe and timeline.

• The previous main enemy, the Goa'uld, styled themselves as gods, but were literally parasites. Their power came from the technology, but they reveled in worship and they usurped the position of gods in human pantheons. And then they got defeated by the Tau'ri.


• Then there are the Ancients, who ascended, but did not suffer from the delusion of grandeur of being divine. And they left the other races to their own devices.


• The Asgard are another nigh-divine race with great powers. Which is just better tech.

So there is a certain history of races in the universe which are extremely advanced, yet are not deities. And the fight against the Goa'uld really inserts quite a bit of iconoclasm and irreverence into the show's DNA.

Now, the Ori

• are ascended, which is nothing new (see Ancients)


• behave like the Goa'uld in demanding obedience and worship


• are hostile to anyone who does not submit, yet they are defeatable. SGC cannot fight true omnipotent gods. But the Ori can be defeated and are hostile; and thus their claim of divinity is rejected (one will not worship one's enemy).

They basically are a stronger form of the Goa'uld, working through their obnoxious worshippers rather than personally. Their actions make them unworthy of worship, thus false gods. Humanity would be better of without them.

True gods don't originate from mortal beings (at least in the Stargate universe if not in any real world belief system). They have always been gods. When mortals are elevated to anything god-like, they remain distinct from true gods. The Ori began as mortal beings (ancient humans) who, like their Ancient bretheren learned how to ascend. As ascended beings, both the ascended Ancients and Ori are therefore not true gods despite being so god-like. The only distinctions between them were the galaxies they called "home" and their ethics/agendas. Oma Desala and Anubis were ascended mortal beings no different from any other Ancient or Ori except for their personal agendas and codes of ethics (or lack thereof); they were not gods, but just as much gods as the Ori.

Nothing encountered in the Stargate universe is a true god. Anything encountered that appears god-like is always either an ascended being or a poser like the Goa'uld.