Omnivore's Dillema- the Missing Truth

We finally got to the burning question building this whole book.
Is it wrong to eat meat?
I arrived, as I suppose most readers did, at this question much earlier in this reading. Though he tries to struggle through logic-ethics to come to his conclusion, in this chapter, missing one huge truth. His two major premises for his (and his references book's) argument is a) intelligence,(the argument being: we've got the right because we're smarter is wrong because these this are relative... some apes have more intelligence than some severely mentally retarded etc.) and b) suffering: (we should because if they can feel pain and we cannot base their rights on intelligence the we must give them the same rights as we would a human). Both have seemingly valid points, however, neither point to the one element that changes everything. a) We are created in the image of God, and b) our divinely authority and dominion over creation. Firstly, yes, animals do feel pain, so is any pain justifiable? Then, ultimately asking, what gives us the right to cause them pain. Firstly, all death is, presumably, pain. The question is, when should that occur? Who has the authority to inflict it on them? For the Christian, that is easy... we have been given that authority (-with certain limits). For the non-Christian, they believe no one has that right ant that all creatures have equal standing and rights. Unfortunately to continue with that argument, we must conclude that an infant and a rat have the same standing. They argue that equal consideration of interests and equal treatment are not the same... but by their argument, why shouldn't they be? and what happens if I allow "a rat to be a rat"? In the end, I will agree that a lifetime of suffering is indeed in humane, but killing an animal for food is not murder. I am more inclined to think like Joel Salatan's workers do, yes it's gruesome work to "process" an animal, but it is how God intended it. For us to be involved physically, mentally, and a bit emotionally in the death of our food so that are a little more humble eating it and less inclined to run out and do so every day.... I'm more inclined to skip it and eat some lettuce.