I feel that rating something a 3/10 implies that it is way past simply something along the lines of "oh, I'm just so damn sick of this song", and instead implies that you think it's totally abhorrent.
I suppose I'm using a different scale to you then. I'm using 5 as my marker of "neither particularly like nor dislike" and then working in each direction towards U2's best or worst songs. I'm not going to pretend I've stuck to this accurately, but here's a rough representation:
10 - Excellent, U2's best songs
9 - Great
8 - Pretty good
7 - Good, but not
that remarkable
6 - Decent
5 - Neither particularly like nor dislike ("meh", "it's not that bad", "it's OK", that sort of stuff)
4 - Weak
3 - Poor
2 - I never listen to this
1 - Atrocious
0 - Inside Out and its friends at the sewage works
So I wouldn't say it's totally abhorrent, that'd be 0-2, but it's something I think is well below what U2 are capable of, and that I have little desire to hear.
I couldn't be less religious, but to imply this track is just a "boring religious singalong" is, well, completely missing the point, to put it bluntly. I mean, the lyrics aren't exactly praise be ta jaysus or anything, are they? It's about uncertainty, which I'd consider to be about as deep a part of one's faith as you could think of.
Really, I can understand why someone wouldn't like it, absolutely, but your criticisms really just seem contrary for the sake of it.
Well, by "boring religious singalong", I'm not saying it's particularly CCM or anything (if anybody can find a Newsboys song I'd rate above a 1, I'll be very astonished). The lyrics aren't too bad, I even have somewhat of an appreciation for a couple of lines here and there, but ... I feel like it's saying things Bono's said elsewhere in much better ways. He's dwelt on uncertainty and internal conflict with the ideals of faith on multiple occasions, and I think this is simplistic relative to other examples.
And like I said, I find there's just nothing there to reward returning to it any more. It just falls away, a shell of a song. At least, that's the case for me. Nice sentiment and all, but why should I keep caring? If I've been skipping the song consistently for years (even before I was an atheist, lest anybody say anything), why give it over a 3?
I would lay off on Axver - at least he has the fortitude to back up his position while other people torch songs with no commentary. It seems to be a considered opinion. While I do not share the opinion, I think it is a testament to the band's depth and range that fans can disagree completely on some songs. For me the opening trilogy on JT is the best opening trilogy of any album, U2 or otherwise that I have heard and all three are 10's for me (as is In God's Country and RTSS).
Thanks. I once actually shared the opinion that JT's opening trio was something truly superb. Obviously that didn't last too long and ISHFWILF has fallen off markedly, but I still appreciate the other two a fair deal. That said, I'll defend to the death the notion that JT's closing trio is superior in every way to its opening trio - all three of those will be getting 10s from me without a minute's hesitation.
Edge being narky 
