Looking to create life?

Two of the world’s premier geneticists, Craig Venter and Hamilton Smith have proposed a new approach to genetics. They are looking to create a simple microbe by mix and matching gene segments from previously known bugs and “drop them” into another bug and see if the new genetic makeup will bring the microbe to life.

Do you think this is ethical? Should this be allowed or stopped? It is mentioned in the article that there could be some benefit to this for example creating microbes one day that could be used to prevent pollution, kill other bugs that cause diseases like malaria, gonorrhea… there are however worse theories that the virus could escape the lab…then what?

Regardless, if giving life to new microbes is a possible option, should humans be trying to play God?

Article: http://www.bioethics.net/articles.php?viewCat=2&articleId=27