The idea of ordination flows from the belief that human nature is fallen and the great majority of human beings are unclean and therefore unworthy to stand in the presence of the Lord and represent the prayers of the people. Therefore, we set apart a class of individuals who agree to live by our (culturally-conditioned) standards of ritual purity and "ordain" them to serve in our stead. It was a mindset that flourished back when most people couldn't read, generally struggled to make it through the day and had little time for theology, and had less than perfect access to hygiene. The assumption that their spiritual condition matched their physical one was considered self-evident. 
Today, we have access to everything the ordained clergy have, are on average at least as intelligent, and generally smell better, if we count women among our number. The idea that we need ordained people to do for us what God won't let us do on our own is more pagan than Christian.