My favourite take is that *raise dead* (or its reverse, *finger of death*) is a fifth level cleric spell in BX, takes a 7th level cleric to cast, which requires 70 000 xp to get to. But *stone to flesh* (and its reverse, *flesh to stone*) is a sixth level magic-user spell, takes an 11th level magic user to cast them, which requires 600 000 xp to get to. So petrification is way worse.
Also, since the stone can be turned to flesh and presumably the same person emerges, that means that you cannot resurrect them any other way. No paladin in hell, no devil in paradise, no fancy raise dead spell can reach you when you're petrified at the bottom of the deepest ocean. The soul remains trapped in the stone.
And what if you break off the head? Distribute the parts? Grind it to dust? When is the soul truly free of that mortal, petrified husk?
Always be petrifying the evil dudes.
In our games, it has always been harder to find friendly level 11 magic-users than friendly level 7 clerics. Perhaps that is something to consider as well. And without the magic-users, are scrolls for sale? Not in my games…
#RPG