This "stunt" was very crafty, something Jesus extols. Ted Harvey employed an effective rhetorical technique to communicate his message.
Following Jesus is what gives Christians "a bad name" (see Luke 6:22).
Don't mistake being criticized for dishonesty for being persecuted for your faith.
Well said.
Christians are clearly warned that the world will vilify them. They will never get a fair shake, and in fact if they are "popular" in the world, should probably do serious self-examination as to what kind of job they are doing as representatives of Christ.
As long as a Christian is hearing claims such as "That's the sort of thing that gives Christians a bad name!" from the world he or she can probably sleep well at night, knowing they are serving well and merely paying the price that comes with true service.