Pope John Paul II was, undoubtedly, a highly conservative man in many ways. For instance, he was firmly anti-abortion, anti-birth control, anti-homosexuality, and anti-ordination of women. However, that's not the whole story. In contrast to the far right wing of the Republican Party, as exemplified by Virginia gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore, John Paul II was also "compassionate," and not just rhetorically.Some examples? For starters, John Paul II was not just pro-life when it came to unborn embryos and fetuses. Unlike the political far right in this country, John Paul II was consistently in favor of a "culture of life" in all ways, shapes, and forms. Thus, John Paul II was strongly against the death penalty, calling it "cruel and unnecessary." And in stark contrast to the Jerry Kilgores and Tom DeLays of America, John Paul II cared deeply about "the dignity and rights of those who work" (i.e., labor), poor people, excessive materialism, unchecked capitalism, and widening income disparities. The Jerry Kilgores and Tom DeLays of this world, of course, care about none of those things.
Another major difference between John Paul II and the American far right wing was, of course, on issues of war and peace. John Paul II was unequivocally and passionately anti-war, strongly opposing the March 2003 US invasion of Iraq. And even when he was personally attacked, he foreswore vengeance and "an eye for an eye" morality, putting into action the words of Jesus Christ about forgiveness and "turning the other cheek." In one of the most dramatic moments of his entire Papacy, during Christmas 1983 John Paul II traveled to the jail cell of his would-be assassin, Mehmet Ali Agca, in order to personally forgive him. The Pope did this not only because he was a strong and great man, but also because he understood the true meaning of what it means to be a Christian -- forgiveness, as opposed to blind vengeance.
Of course, it is not really fair to compare the life of a man like Karol Jozef Wojtyla, a man who fought Nazis and Communists with unyielding strength and courage, to a political opportunist and lightweight like Jerry Kilgore. They are obviously not in the same league, or even the same galaxy. Still, it's instructive to compare and contrast the views of a REAL "compassionate conservative" with those of a "Kilgore Konservative."
Peace vs. war. Forgiveness vs. vengeance. Concern for poor people vs. doling out tax cuts and favors for rich people. Acting on principle vs. swaying with the wind out of political opportunism. We could go on and on. The point is, Pope John Paul II was a true Christian, in the sense that he followed the teachings of Jesus as revealed in the Gospels, and a true "compassionate conservative" as well. Right-wing Republican political hacks in the United States, like Tom DeLay and Jerry Kilgore, are none of the above.