This is what Paul Manata emailed to me on this subject (I might put it to dialogue later). It is responding to the objection as to why "belief in some other deity isn't warranted."

(1) Well, for one, a more thorough and robust account of a warranted belief is one that is not subject to defeaters. So, I'd say that and adherent of ____(insert deity)_____ has undefeated defeaters (think Islam, for example).

(2) Also, a belief could be warranted but not knowledge. So, the alethic condition must be met by ____(insert deity)____. Obviously we believe that _____(insert deity)____ doesn't exist, and so those people don't "know" that he does.

(3) Also, if one inclides positive arguments (perhaps revamped natural theology ones), then we actually have reasons *for* our belief as well. Why should I believe in ____(insert deity)_____? I can tell others why they should believe in ____Jehovah____, can they do the same?

(4) Also, many versions of beliefs in _____(insert deity)____ do not provide a basis for our belief in the reliability of our cognitive faculties, hence they'd have a defeater for all their beliefs, including belief in ____(insert deity)____. So, why should the believer in ___Shivah___ think his/her cognitive faculties are reliably aimed at truth? Does ___Shivah___ believe in those categories (i.e., true/false)? If not, would he design his "children" to have cognitive faculties with beliefs aimed at truth? And, if so, why believe this? Is it revealed in the Vedas? Where?

(5) Why even think that belief in ____(insert deity)____ is warranted? What's the reasoning process that gets one to think that? This: Belief in Jehovah is properly basic and hence warranted, therefore belief in ____(insert deity)____ is properly basic and hence warranted? What justifies that?

(6) One need not be a full-fledged RE guy. We should have learned not to be Van Tillian "yes men" and so we need to keep that in mind with RE. No one is perfect. Thus we should incorporate various aspects, trying to make the most biblical and rigerous system.

__________________
J. B. Atken
John Knox PCA
Layman, M.A. student at Louisiana College