Is it blasphemous to look critically at the matters of experiences of saints and private revelations?

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By that I mean actions such as:

-comparing different experiences of different saints (also outside of our Church)
-looking critically at private revelations
-comparing how Our Lord works in the lives of different saints
-drawing certain suspicions, doubting things

I’m having trouble to discern when such actions are actually sinful and when they fall under our obligation to test the spirits.

I suspect that it’s blasphemous only when we judge them negatively or accuse them of something?
And… is it a sin of blasphemy or of judging others? Anyways, I don’t have a clue. Please help me out.
 
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I do not know if it is blasphemous. But if the thinking process is distracting you from love and grace of God, and causing disturbance rather than instilling peace, it is the bad spirit that pushes you to think of these matters. If it is God who wants you to discern, He will always speak with certainty and bring you calmness.

http://sacred-texts.com/chr/seil/seil79.htm
“Fifth Rule. The fifth: We ought to note well the course of the thoughts, and if the beginning, middle and end is all good, inclined to all good, it is a sign of the good Angel; but if in the course of the thoughts which he brings it ends in something bad, of a distracting tendency, or less good than what the soul had previously proposed to do, or if it weakens it or disquiets or disturbs the soul, taking away its peace, tranquillity and quiet, which it had before, it is a clear sign that it proceeds from the evil spirit, enemy of our profit and eternal salvation.”
 
You’re only human- you can’t personally know with certainty which of these revelations are valid and which are not. And while the Church approves some, she doesn’t require that we believe in any of them. Be discerning, be critical; that’s the only way we really learn anything anyway.
 
You are not bound to believe in private revelations.

Now, if you’re delving into private revelations with scorn, or the intent to mock, that would be a sin, but one against the charity we owe each other as Christians…
 
What you are describing is the method by which the Church vets all such claims and causes. Sin attaches if you doubt or oppose anything doctrinal, i.e. “de fide” - that which must be assented to by the faithful.
 
tom1 said:
By that I mean actions such as:

-comparing different experiences of different saints (also outside of our Church)
-looking critically at private revelations
-comparing how Our Lord works in the lives of different saints
-drawing certain suspicions, doubting things

I’m having trouble to discern when such actions are actually sinful and when they fall under our obligation to test the spirits.

I suspect that it’s blasphemous only when we judge them negatively or accuse them of something?
And… is it a sin of blasphemy or of judging others? Anyways, I don’t have a clue. Please help me out.
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No. It’s not blasphemous.

When such things occur (or seem to) we must discern if they are authentic or not. That is exactly what “looking critically” at them means.

Saints do no get canonized until after a long process of discernment (ie critical thinking). This is done all the time. Same with private revelations. Famous miracle sites (just as an example) undergo very critical testing and discernment by the local bishop before they can be judged. So again, the Church does this all the time.
 
Critical observations are a good thing. You can see similiarities to your own life, and possible paths for you to follow…many saints became saints, they were not born saints! Looking at their lives shows us the way!

May the Lord help you grow in understanding an come closer to Him…
May you find happiness…
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Fatima, AMEN!
 
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It’s not blasphemous to criticize something that you aren’t required to believe in, as long as you are not expressing any blasphemous thoughts towards Our Lord, His Mother, etc.

It does however get annoying when people put a lot of energy into criticizing things which they are not required or forced to believe by the Catholic Church. It’s like going to a dinner where there is a big casserole of baked beans on the table along with 4 other side dishes, but because you personally don’t like baked beans or don’t like how this dish tastes, you spend an hour complaining about it to all the other diners (some of whom are enjoying the beans) instead of just leaving it there and eating the other 4 side dishes that you like.
 
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For your peace of mind…
May you find happiness…
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Fatima, AMEN!
 
tom1 said:
-comparing different experiences of different saints (also outside of our Church)

-looking critically at private revelations

-comparing how Our Lord works in the lives of different saints

-drawing certain suspicions, doubting things

I’m having trouble to discern when such actions are actually sinful and when they fall under our obligation to test the spirits.

I suspect that it’s blasphemous only when we judge them negatively or accuse them of something?

And… is it a sin of blasphemy or of judging others? Anyways, I don’t have a clue. Please help me out.
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We are encouraged to think and weigh things and seek truth. This isn’t like Islam, where they are forbidden from criticizing their “prophet,” or from doing a critical analysis of the text of the Quran.

God isn’t afraid for us to seek truth. We might not be able to decide these things, that’s why we have the Church. You can trust the Church. The Church is much more difficult to impress with any private revelation or to convince of its authenticity than we ever would be!

If I were going to do it, though, I would study it with a spiritual director who can keep you from getting in over your head. Some of it is heavy stuff, theologically speaking. It helps to have some guidance.
 
I don’t think it is blasphemous, like everyone else said just don’t despise them if you think they are odd or you disagree.
 
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