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==Webpages==
==Webpages==

John is the [[founder]] and creator of AARM.
Ratcliff is the [[founder]] and creator of [[AARM]], which stands for 'Atheist Apologetics Research Ministry.' As its founder, Ratcliff has the technical ability to moderate the [http://aarm.mywowbb.com/ AARM Forums]. The name of the site is a play on words referring to the [[Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry]], founded by [[Matt Slick]].
He is also the administrator on the [http://aarm.mywowbb.com/ AARM Forums]. According to the AARM website founder, "AARM stands for the 'Atheist Apologetics Research Ministry'. [http://aarm.mywowbb.com/view_user.php?id=1&posts=1]It is a play on words referring to the popular religious website [[CARM ]] the 'Christian Apologetics Research Ministry" founder [[Matt Slick]]. Ratcliff states that the reason for starting his own discussion boards was a reaction against the actions of CARM in expelling atheists that had been accused of violating the CARM Christian discussion forum rules. John did not agree with internet discussion board rules stating "Why subject yourself to 'their' rules? It doesn't make any sense at all to me." John states regarding himself "Well my role on CARM is primarily as a [[troll]] to tweak fundies. So long as they remain an open target I'm liable to take a pot shot from time to time till I get myself banned again."

Ratcliff began AARM up as a reaction to the moderated nature of CARM's forums, and in response to a perception that [[atheists]] were being systematically excluded from those forums. Ratcliff has expressed a preference for unmoderated discussion forums for the purpose of discussing controversial subjects, stating "Why subject yourself to 'their' rules? It doesn't make any sense at all to me."

==Beliefs==

Despite running a website named after atheism, Ratcliff is not an atheist. He describes himself as a [[Pantheist]] influenced by "[[Neo-Platonism]], [[quantum physics]], the Seth Material by [[Jane Roberts]], and the works of [[Robert Anton Wilson]]." Ratcliff practices Wilson's confrontational and controversial practice of [[guerilla ontology]]."


==Controversy==
==Controversy==


Critics of John Ratcliff consist of [[Evangelical]] Christians associated with CARM. They charge that Ratcliff is negligent in failing to use [[Moderation system|moderation]] to edit or remove unspecified comments allegedly amounting to [[slander]] and [[libel]] from the AARM website. They also disapprove of the nature of unmoderated boards, where people are permitted to make personal attacks and use [[profanity]] and other foul language.
Critics of John Ratcliff commonly hold worldviews as [[Evangelical]] Christians. Their most common complaints center around what they consider his misuse of [[Moderation system|moderation]] in his refusal to edit or remove alleged slander and [[libel]] comments from the AARM website forums. [http://www.carm.org/list/aarm.htm] In order to quash opposing viewpoints he will use and permit others to use [[ad hominem]] attacks on his boards, resorting to [[profanity]], his intentional misrepresentation of opposing viewpoints is noted to his admitting to being a [[troll]] on Christian discussion boards, his questionable tactics in [[debate|debates]] to attacking the person [[ad hominem ]] rather than responding to the arguments presented realizing his being banned from Christian forums as a [[troll]] and his general conduct when talking to those who do not share his beliefs.[http://www.carm.org/list/aarm.htm]

Critics also point out that Ratcliff at one point described himself as a [[troll]] in the context of posting to CARM's moderated discussion boards. [http://www.carm.org/list/aarm.htm]

Ratcliff's supporters note that Ratcliff has no known critics outside of CARM, and thus believe that criticism of Ratcliff amounts to little more than a reflection of the CARM's disapproval of AARM and of unmoderated discussion in general. [http://aarm.mywowbb.com/forum6/2576.html]


==External Links==
==External Links==

Revision as of 02:14, 18 August 2005

John W. Ratcliff is a noted game developer and the founder of the controversial website AARM.

Game Development

Ratcliff's began his career as a software developer writing educational software as well as computer programs supporting cardiovascular research at the St. Louis University Hospital.

He took a job with Electronic Arts in the 80's, and created the first 256 color VGA game 688 Attack Sub. Several years later, he followed up with a sequel entitled SSN-21 Seawolf, again to critical acclaim, and in 1997 released the game Scarab.

Ratcliff's most recent title was CyberStrike 2, published in 1998 by 989 Studios and more recently by Planetside. Ratcliff is also credited in Car & Driver (1992) and MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat (1995).

Ratcliff continues to be an active member of the game development community and has been a contributing author to such magazines as Dr. Dobb's Journal. Currently, he works for Ageia Technologies, where his role is to provide open source tools and technology to facilitate the integration of physics into games.

Ratcliff especially enjoys teaching on the subject of computer technology, with special emphasis on algorithms. He also speaks at conferences, and most recently spoke at game|tech 2004.

Webpages

Ratcliff is the founder and creator of AARM, which stands for 'Atheist Apologetics Research Ministry.' As its founder, Ratcliff has the technical ability to moderate the AARM Forums. The name of the site is a play on words referring to the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, founded by Matt Slick.

Ratcliff began AARM up as a reaction to the moderated nature of CARM's forums, and in response to a perception that atheists were being systematically excluded from those forums. Ratcliff has expressed a preference for unmoderated discussion forums for the purpose of discussing controversial subjects, stating "Why subject yourself to 'their' rules? It doesn't make any sense at all to me."

Beliefs

Despite running a website named after atheism, Ratcliff is not an atheist. He describes himself as a Pantheist influenced by "Neo-Platonism, quantum physics, the Seth Material by Jane Roberts, and the works of Robert Anton Wilson." Ratcliff practices Wilson's confrontational and controversial practice of guerilla ontology."

Controversy

Critics of John Ratcliff consist of Evangelical Christians associated with CARM. They charge that Ratcliff is negligent in failing to use moderation to edit or remove unspecified comments allegedly amounting to slander and libel from the AARM website. They also disapprove of the nature of unmoderated boards, where people are permitted to make personal attacks and use profanity and other foul language.

Critics also point out that Ratcliff at one point described himself as a troll in the context of posting to CARM's moderated discussion boards. [1]

Ratcliff's supporters note that Ratcliff has no known critics outside of CARM, and thus believe that criticism of Ratcliff amounts to little more than a reflection of the CARM's disapproval of AARM and of unmoderated discussion in general. [2]