With regards to the "best dressed" discussion...

my rationalization of all that was

said is simply this - if the inclusion of a "best dressed" competition in this
year's Divali program is done as a preaching strategy, there *must* be the
appropriate *preaching* to accompany the endeavor. If this competition is done with
the goal in mind being to attract/encourage the public in general to come to the
program (since fancy dressing has become an integral part of the Divali culture in
Trinidad), and at the program there's some explanation about the real reason behind
dressing fancy (i.e. everything must be come to please Their Lordships) then this
inclusion is perfectly alright IMO. Whoever gives the class on that day simply has
to refer to the quotes from Srila Prabhupada on dressing to please their Lordships
and dressing properly in general and remind those who participate in the
competition, especially, of the reasons behind the activity. If this is done, then
there shouldn't be an issue here. However, preaching is not limited to only
speaking. The entire program is a means of preaching because it allows the public
to engage in the service of Their Lordships. So even if there's no such
explanation, the simple fact that the competition successfully got people to
Krishna's temple and got them to chant and dance speaks volumes. There's no denying
the fact the the propensity for "dressing to impress" is prevalent. We are aspiring
to come to the platform of pure devotional service but it's important to be
realistic in our practice and not faign renunciation. My understanding is that this
is competition is idealy a means to dovetail such propensity in a Krishna Conscious
way by getting people to come to the program, chant, dance and associate with
Vaisnavas and receive a Bhagavat-Gita if they win.

Also, it's important for us to remember that the ideal, most effective and
progressive discussions are free from 'ad-hominem' attacks. Put simply, this
happens when discussion of the topic at hand is avoided by instead attacking the
character, motive, or other attributes of the person making the argument, or
persons associated with the argument, rather than discussing the substance of the
argument itself. And Srila Jiva Gosvami says that there are three types of
discussion � vada, jalpa and vitanda. In a vada discussion the motive of all
concerned is to find out the truth. This is the ideal kind of discussion. It is for
persons who are sober and impartial about the outcome; they simply want to know
what is the truth of the matter. They are in the mode of goodness. Jalpa is a
discussion wherein one is not interested in what is said by others, whether it has
some truth or all of the truth, because one simply wants to be heard. Any other
view or contribution is of no interest. This is the way for a person in the mode of
passion. A vitanda discussion is in the mode of ignorance. In this version the
truth is of no value. One simply wants to win at all costs (Srila Jiva Gosvami;
Sri-Sat-Sandarbha).

[ Truthfulness and Honesty: http://www.dandavats.com/?p=10456 ]