U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has some evangelical Christians hot under the collar after calling them bigoted and spreaders of hate for criticizing Islam.

According to the Agape Press, Tony Nassif of the Faith and Politics Institute said Powell's comments "are based upon perception rather than knowledge of the Koran."

Rob Schenck of the National Clergy Council believes Powell is completely wrong and that the Secretary's remarks are "disingenuous ... intellectually dishonest ... and a denial of reality to suggest that Islam does not allow for, and in many instances calls for acts of violence against individuals considered to be infidels."

Nassif points out there may be more to Powell's attack on evangelicals, noting that the Secretary has "been at odds" before with certain religious leaders and religious perspectives. Meanwhile, the Bush Administration continues to ignore the factual criticisms of Islam, calling it "a peaceful religion."

One of Islam's strongest advocates in the U.S. is Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Hooper believes American evangelicals only want to kill Muslims.

Author Robert Spencer of the Free Congress Foundation, who is an expert on Islam, said Hooper also is trying to make Islam and Christianity appear equivalent.

"But I would ask him, respectfully, to give me 10 verses from the Bible -- or even one -- that is an open-ended and universal command to the believers to fight and kill unbelievers," Spencer said. "And I will happily supply him with 10 or 20 or however many he wants, from the Koran."

Spencer said many Muslims do not take to heart the commands to kill "infidel Jews and Christians," but that there are millions who do. He insists that is a threat that must be addressed -- and not ignored -- which he accused the Bush Administration of doing.