Agree totally - *I* don't say the examiners will sign anyone off. Far from it! But I've had that said to me as a reason why the IMC rating is *only* a get you out of trouble rating.
I take mine seriously, and use it in anger to fly IFR in IMC, which is why I did the IMC to start with.
I'd like an IR, but haven't the patience at my time of life to do all that academic study. If it just meant being able to fly the aircraft to the standards, that'd be fine.