1/4

The concept of intermediaries/priests/popes/middlemen, came in with Abrahamism.

And although in more recent times, some Christians claim to have a personal relationship with their Christian god, still, the existence of holy books, and the church hierarchy of popes, and priests serves the purpose of intermediaries/middlemen between the Christian/Abrahamic God, and the people.

Some may argue, and say that the old world pagan cultures did in fact have intermediaries, which were the shamans, seers, sages, wizards, witches, cunning folk, druids, volkhvs, etc...

To make it easier I will refer to all of these different names collectively as shamans both males & females. I am not a scholar of this subject. I’m only sharing my current understanding based on all of the information I’ve absorbed, and all I’ve learned over the years.

My personal reply to this comparison between the pagan shamans, and Abrahamic priests would be that they cannot be compared, for they are not the same.

2/4

The pagan shamans were not just attending to matters and problems of a spiritual nature, they’ve also treated physical illnesses much like modern doctors. As well as dealing with fertility department, and other issues that are physical in nature.

The way I understand it, is that to the old-world shamans it all went together, the physical, mental, and the spiritual, for it was all interconnected, and one effects the other.

Whenever the shamans dealt with the person’s physical problem, they understood that they are at the same time dealing with this individual’s mental, and spiritual state.

And we know that this is not at all what an Abrahamic priest of the church is. So just by acknowledging this, we can already see why we can’t compare the indigenous shamans to Christian priests.

3/4

And as far as saying shamans served the same purpose as Abrahamic priests, which would be the role of an intermediary/middleman between the Abrahamic/Christian god and the individual, I personally say that it’s incorrect! Because a Christian priest intermediates/speaks on behalf of the Christian god, whilst the shamans will take you to meet the gods. The shaman will guide you to the gods, and you yourself can talk to them.

Christian priest will speak for Christian God, but the pagan shaman will take you on a spiritual journey, the one that you will experience with your own consciousness and mind, and it requires no blind belief, because you will know.

4/4

From what I understood, in the old world during paganism, most people were able to do their own rituals, and they didn’t always require shaman’s help. I am assuming that sometimes a certain god, goddess, spirit, or ancestor couldn’t be reached by the person on their own, and that’s when shamans would help, also if a female had fertility problems shamans would assist with that as well. Tribal communal matters, such as specific rites of passage, communal rituals & ceremonies, that was also the role of a shaman.

Like I said, it is much more complicated than that, because shamans of indigenous cultures serve many different purposes, and I’m not an expert on this topic