Ghast Stench & Prot. from Evil

[Exindiv]

Had this question come up in game recently: "Does Protection from Evil grant a +2 resistance bonus to saves against a Ghast's Stench?" In our game, the question was moot as the player made their save regardless of the bonus, but it's still floating around.

Prot. from Evil provides a +2 resistance bonus to attacks or effects created by evil creatures.
While our group had no problems identifying the Ghast as evil (and not just a misunderstood abomination against life and nature), we could not agree whether the stench was a product created by the Evil creature or if the stench was an unintentional by-product of natural processes.
(Essentially we were arguing over the use of the word "created" and whether it meant an intentional action or all effects that can be linked to a source.)

[Java Man]

I'd say it does grant protection. Ask yourself why ghast stink is worse than zombie stink or ghoul stink. My answer is that the stink can't just be nasty corpse reek, must be magic or such, and hence prot evil should apply.

[blahpers]

There's nothing special about stench that disqualifies it from being in the category of "attacks made or effects created by evil creatures.". The stench itself doesn't have to be evil--it could have just as easily been the ghast casting inflict light wounds or something. You still get the bonus.