But I have heard people say that Buddhists worship idols. Such statements only reflect the misunderstanding of the persons who make them.
All religions use symbols to express various concepts.
In Taoism, the ying-yang is used to symbolise the harmony between opposites. In Sikhism, the sword is used to symbolise spiritual struggle. In Christianity, the fish is used to symbolise his sacrifice. So to say that Buddhist worship idols is not correct.