Between Christian and Hedonist

Got your attention didn't I?

I'm wondering about something lately, and I don't have an answer on this so I guess, it's just a thing to think about kind of post.  That said, I'd really love to hear what you all think about this.

Christians have a lot of rules.  We have Bible rules and then others that we just sort of heap on ourselves because it kind of seems like the right thing to do or because those other people, who are really "good" Christians live like that.

Hedonists just do what makes them happy, generally.  I mean, there seems to be a certain amount of morality there in most hedonists, but um, yeah.  It's just kind of whatever makes you feel good.

Maybe they aren't opposites.  Maybe one has nothing to do with the other.

I'm wondering though about something we as Christians do to ourselves.

We tend to spend a whole lot of our lives denying ourselves things and experiences.  We put it under the cloud of being a good Christian, but I wonder if we have part of this wrong.

Now, I'm not saying ignore the Bible rules or have zero morality, but I am wondering about some things we do.

Tonight for example, I was talking with a friend and she wanted to have a drink or two, but won't because it "wouldn't be the right thing to do."  Now, honestly there is no real reason why she should deny herself a drink or even two.

We do it to ourselves on a lot of small fronts.  Now, we all know ourselves and for some of us two drinks is two too many.  Or that romance novel is too much.  Or a night out playing cards with the boys is over the line.

But.

Taking that into account, that we know ourselves and our limitations, why do we still routinely, daily, continuously and consistently deny ourselves things and experiences?

Thoughts?