Why You Should Avoid Tellling Autistic People That Their Earthly Restricted Interests Don't Matter Or Are Dust

I watched a couple videos from a Catholic YouTube Channel called Kid Catholic. One is called Is Pop Culture Sinful?

 
The other is called Does YouTube Matter?

 
In these videos, Kid Catholic states while pop culture, phones, and YouTube aren't bad, a Catholic's priority is getting to Heaven and so we need to make sure we're not spending too much time on these things or they're not leading us to sin.

 
I am completely on board with these statements. I agree that pop culture, phones, and YouTube pale in comparison to the eternity in Heaven that awaits us.

 
The thing I take issue with is Kid Catholic saying they don't matter or that they are dust.

 
It's not a good idea to say such things to autistic people, even to those of us autistic people who are Catholic. Here's why. As I state on my "About" page, autistic people have intense special interests. And our intense special interests, including our earthly ones, mean a lot to us. They matter to us. And they are certainly not dust to us.

 
Our intense special interests help us keep stress at bay and help us to recharge our batteries after working or being social.

 
I make an effort to listen to the Bible in a Year podcast every day. I make an effort to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet & the Rosary every day. On Sundays, I look forward to going to Mass, not watching football. I look forward to going to Mass because I get to receive the Eucharist, listen to the priest's homily, and pray the Our Father together with my brothers and sisters in the faith. I love a good homily.

And no, I am not expecting to be able to watch or listen to The Phantom of the Opera in Heaven. I am not expecting to be able to watch James Bond in Heaven. That's why I am watching both of those and listening to Phantom in this life---in moderation, after I've spent time with God, and done my responsibilities.

 
Telling me that The Phantom of the Opera or any of my other earthly intense special interests don't matter or are dust, even in comparison to the eternity in Heaven that awaits me, is not a good idea.

So please refrain from saying The Phantom of the Opera or my other earthly intense special interests don't matter or that they are dust. Because they matter to me. And they are certainly not dust to me. In fact, do you really think that God doesn't care at all about my intense special interests? I think He does care about my intense special interests.

There's a prayer on the Laudate app called I Thirst For You. It is written as if Jesus is speaking to you. In one part of this prayer, Jesus says, "Nothing in your life is unimportant to Me."

I think He delights in the fact that I love Loki from the MCU. And that's because He knows that my love and affection for Loki comes from my compassion for him due to his trauma, his yearning for love, affection, and respect, and his desire to be Thor's equal in Odin's eyes. But I also love him because of his potential to do good. Besides, Tom Hiddleston as Loki is just so much fun to watch.

 
After all, God knows everything.

Jesus knew how to have a good time and enjoy himself during his time on this Earth. Jesus enjoyed a good meal.