Of course there are many people who view this kind of genetic manipulation as against nature. Proponents of genetic engineering counter this by arguing that man has been manipulating genomes for centuries with the selective breeding of crops and cattle. That some see it as against nature is a redundant argument, unless they want to go back and live in a cave. Every single technological advance from the pills that keep some people alive to the clothes we wear and the vehicles we travel in is 'against nature.'
The advance of technology be it in biotechnology or in computer science is never ending. Innovation and finding solutions to problems is what we humans are good at. That is not to say that an innovation doesn't of itself present new problems. Sometimes it does. However, to stop the progress of technology is against nature, human nature. We are born with inquiring minds, we like fixing things; it enhances us as a species.
This is not to give carte blanche to scientists and engineers though; innovation should never be conducted in a moral vacuum. Society must have every opportunity to weigh up the pros and cons. That involves a willingness on the part of scientists to explain their work at every opportunity, and in a language that people understand. It also requires us the public to listen and to learn for ourselves. Frankly over the years the amount of ill-informed debate about genetics and cloning has been ridiculous. Some of the blame goes to the media who love to make up stories about the 'evil geniuses' wanting to create Frankenstein's monster.
Genetic engineering is a valuable technology, but it is not without its faults and technical difficulties. There is also no such thing as absolute safety or zero risk. Every new technology has some risk attached to it. As long as the benefits far outweigh any negative effects, and that everything possible is done to ensure that those risks are minimal, new technologies, including genetic engineering should be pursued with vigour. The biggest risk may be in not pursuing them?
