Namaskaram Some Random ji
Agreed , ...very few Hindu regard the Deity form or Murti as an Idol , .... Most regard the Deity as a specific manifestation of aspect of the supreme .
however it is prehaps important to realise that it is only the murti made for home worship that is or could be regarded as a representational or symbolic , as these are often made as replicas of temple Murtis many of which are considered to be self manifesting forms of the Supreme .
the Temple deity is considered to be nondifferent from the aspect of God , we are mistakenly thinking is a representation , .....once a deity is instaled in a temple it becomes a physical embodiment of the God or Godess and is more than a tool to aid the devotee in prayer , ....the Deity itself through its Darshan is the bestower of blessings upon all who come before it .
Even those who do not pray will receive blessings from the Darshan of the Deity just by coming before it , the Deity is extremly powerfull , many feel this even on their first visit to a temple , one does not even have to beleive in the residing deity of the temple , that Deity through its Darshan will slowly remove all obsticals a person may have that prohibit direct cognition .